Replica Rifle Recovery Prompts Police Advisory In Peninsula City

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — Peninsula authorities issued an advisory after a replica firearm was recovered amid an investigation that led to an armed robbery suspect's arrest.

Officers responding to Gateway Drive Sunday evening on the report of an armed man harassing a woman Sunday evening found a replica M4 Carbine rifle confirmed to be associated with the suspect, San Mateo police said.

The agency admonished the public to “avoid modifications” that it says pose an “immense” threat to public safety.

And it’s a threat that’s not hypothetical.

Law enforcement officers between 2015 and 2018 fired shots on 146 people brandishing non-powder and toy firearms, according to the Giffords Law Center.

“We share this post with you because the dangers that replica firearms pose these days is immense,” the SMPD said.

“What would you do if you saw someone carrying this type of gun? Would you know it was a replica? Unfortunately, we see too many of these on the streets nowadays.”

The agency noted BB guns modified by having their orange tips painted black and airsoft guns made to look like rifles can be hard to distinguish from real firearms.

Unregistered or untraceable ghost guns made at home, and even real guns are being decorated to look like toys present additional challenges, the agency said.

“If you can't tell what is real vs. fake, there is no guarantee we can either,” the agency said.

“Avoid modifications, use these items for their intended purposes only, and never display or carry these "weapons" in public. They create a lot of hysteria and can take an already tense situation to another level.”