AK47 Youth Held Over Road Terror

A youth filmed terrifying motorists with an AK47 rifle has been arrested following an investigation by Sky News Online.

Friends of the yob filmed the disturbing video as he walks out into a quiet, country road in High Wycombe, Bucks, and points the replica firearm at oncoming cars.

The 55-second mobile phone footage was found on YouTube during a Sky investigation into videos featuring guns on the internet.

Thames Valley Police detectives were alerted and they then tracked down the offender and seized the replica AK47 rifle.

Officers said the man was arrested under new laws for possessing an imitation firearm in a public place, and released with a caution on the same day.

Police thanked Sky for helping track down the offender - and warned how easily gang members with replica guns could get themselves killed.

Supt Rob Angell, from High Wycombe police force, added: "Possession of an imitation fire arm in a public place is a criminal offence and we take incidents like this very seriously.

"Not only does this waste police time, the real worry is that a person playing with a replica gun in a public place could be confronted with an armed officer who thinks the weapon is real.

"In this situation, the worst case scenario is that that young person could be shot. And that's the last thing we want to happen."

Sky found the clip after YouTube introduced a ban in the UK on videos "showing weapons with the aim of intimidation" amid widespread unease about gang violence.

The footage begins with a gangly youth with a scarf pulled over his face walking down a garden path.

His friends egg him on as he walks out into the road with the rifle and points the weapon at an oncoming car.

Another gang member shouts out: "I kill you all - I kill you now!" as the terrified driver spots the rifle.

The youth points the gun at another car, which screeches to a halt. The gang then run from the scene, laughing.

Thames Valley Police has produced a film with local schools to raise awareness of the dangers of possessing real or fake firearms.

The video, called Worlds Collide, shows how youths with replica or BB guns could easily get themselves killed if confronted by armed police.