Man arrested after armed robbery in Southend city centre

A man has been arrested following a robbery in Southend that saw armed police dispatched to a property in Maldon Road.

Essex Police were called at 3:45pm on Tuesday 13 May to reports that a man had robbed a woman in the Wimborne Road area while threatening her with what appeared to be a firearm. The victim’s handbag was taken during the incident.

A man who was passing by attempted to intervene but had the gun pointed at him by the suspect, before the offender ran from the scene.

Witnesses who saw the incident quickly alerted police and provided crucial information about the suspect’s likely location. Armed officers were then deployed to a nearby address in Maldon Road, where they carried out an arrest.

A 51-year-old man was detained on suspicion of robbery and firearms offences. During a search of the property in Maldon Road, officers discovered a small firearm, which has since been confirmed as being a BB gun. The stolen handbag was also recovered and is set to be returned to its owner.

Detective Sergeant Stacy King, of Southend CID, said:
“We know this incident took place in a very public setting and may have caused some concern locally.

“The response to the incident progressed incredibly quickly and I’d really like to thank those members of the public who were able to provide immediate information on the man’s whereabouts.

“Armed officers were then able to enter a property and ensure this significant arrest was made – and the weapon, confirmed to be a BB gun, was seized and made safe.”

A nearby resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s not something you expect to see on a weekday afternoon. The road was suddenly full of police. It’s worrying.”

What the law says about BB guns

BB guns which fire aluminium or plastic balls by methods such as compressed air may or may not be classed as firearms – and so may or may not be prohibited.

The soft air type of gun, often ‘toy-like’ though slightly too powerful to be officially classified as a toy, usually does not meet the definition of a section 1 firearm due to its low power and typical design for firing plastic or aluminium balls.

However, some more powerful BB guns can fall under firearm classification. In such cases, possession, purchase or acquisition without a valid firearms certificate is an offence.

Regardless of power, if a BB gun closely resembles a real firearm and is carried in a public place, it constitutes an offence of possessing an imitation firearm under UK law.

When a robbery involves the use or threat of an imitation firearm, or other offensive weapon, it is classified as an aggravated offence and comes with increased penalties.