A 53-year-old man from St Albans has been charged with possession of an imitation firearm following an incident in London Colney earlier this week.
On Wednesday (21 September) just after 3pm, police were called to reports that a man had been seen near the A414 roundabout, by the London Colney bypass, holding an object that was believed to be a firearm.
Officers attended and a 53 year old man and a 42 year old man were arrested at the scene.
Armed police officers, specially trained search teams and a police dog unit conducted a thorough search of the area, but no weapons were located. Search parameters were then widened and an imitation firearm that matched the description given in the initial report was subsequently located on Thursday afternoon.
Stephen Lawrence, aged 53 and of no fixed abode, has since been charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He appeared at St Albans Magistrates’ Court this afternoon (Friday 23 September) and was remanded in custody.
The 42 year old man has been released under investigation.
Officers are continuing to appeal for information in relation to the incident, and would ask anyone with information to report it online at herts.police.uk/report, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or call the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference 41/76347/22.