UK police have released bodycam footage of a roadside stop that has sparked widespread debate after officers discovered an imitation firearm in the bag of a 12-year-old boy.
According to police, the incident occurred during a routine patrol when officers noticed the boy acting nervously near a bus stop. After a brief conversation, they asked to search his bag. Inside, they found an object that looked and felt like a black handgun.
When questioned, the boy allegedly told the officers, “It’s just a vape,” before they confirmed it was a highly realistic replica firearm. Police say the imitation gun was capable of causing serious alarm due to its resemblance to a real weapon.
“From a distance, there’s no way to tell this isn’t a working firearm,” one officer said. “Carrying something like this can put your life in danger.”
The boy’s details were taken and his parents contacted. While the item was not capable of firing live rounds, carrying it in public is a criminal offence under UK law.
Authorities have used the footage as a warning to parents about the dangers of replica weapons, noting that armed police could easily mistake such an object for a genuine gun.
The bodycam video has been widely shared online, with many viewers expressing shock at both the boy’s age and his attempt to dismiss the weapon as a vape.