Male arrested after reports firearm seen in Childwall

A male has been detained following reports he was seen by a member of the public with what they believed to be a firearm in Childwall today (Thursday 5 June).

We were called to Merthyr Grove just after 3.05pm to a report the suspicious item had been seen in the male’s pocket. 

There is no suggestion the item was used to threaten or harm anyone.

The male was reported to have made his way from Inchcape Road, and officers deployed to the area detained him on Chelwood Avenue at around 3.30pm.

A 15-year-old male from Childwall was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm without a certificate and taken into custody to be interviewed.

Following a search of the male no weapon has been seized and officers are conducting a thorough forensic examination of the scene. 

Detectives are speaking to potential witnesses and exploring CCTV opportunities in the area.

Detective Inspector Mike Fletcher said: “Merseyside Police comprehensively investigates all reports relating to firearms and other weapons, and is relentless in its pursuit of offenders.

“We are grateful to the members of the public who reported this incident, and we have been able to make a swift arrest as a result.

“Officers will remain in the area conducting an extensive search as we seek to get a full understanding of what happened.

“We have worked hard over a number of years to bring down the number of firearms on our streets and will do everything in our power to prevent them being stored, carried and used here in Merseyside to make Merseyside a safer place to live and work.

“We use every resource at our disposal to make sure anyone responsible for such heinous crimes faces justice, and I hope the long jail terms handed out recently demonstrate that Merseyside Police and the justice system take the use of such weapons extremely seriously.

“Communities can and are taking a stand to make the streets safer, and information from the public has been a vital part of our efforts to bring those prepared to carry and use firearms to justice.

Anyone with information on this incident should contact Merseyside Police social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also report information via our website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101 quoting incident reference 25000462379.
 
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.