Warning issued after replica guns seized in North Vancouver

North Vancouver RCMP is issuing a warning about replica guns after seizing six guns from three people on Sunday, July 19.

Mounties received a report of a man dressed in full military camouflage, including a helmet and soft body armour, firing airsoft guns outside an elementary school.

The initial report indicated that the guns were airsoft, but when police arrived they found the guns to be replicas and indistinguishable from real firearms. Police seized both handguns and rifles.

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“Replica guns like these are indistinguishable from the real thing,” said Cpl Geoff Harder with the North Vancouver RCMP. “While they may seem harmless, they cause panic and will elicit a police response.”

Police say that in order to ensure the safety of the public and their officers, calls about people using and firing guns are treated as real until they are confirmed to be fake.

Replica firearms should only be used in designated areas such as gun ranges or paintball fields. While being transported to such areas, they should stored in the trunk or out of view of the public.