SEASIDE - Police said toy guns are supposed to have orange tips, making it clear the gun's a toy. But on Friday, officers said four kids caused a big scare because their guns looked real.
Seaside Police detective Fred Carlin showed Central Coast News a bag full of fake guns the kids were caught with at King Middle School earlier this week.
"Anytime we see a gun in public, it's an issue," he said. "It's a safety issue. It's a safety factor for the public and for the officer when he has to approach someone with a gun, whether it's a replica or it's real."
The message here: Don't be fooled.
Carlin said it's a serious issue because there are times when the bad guys actually put an orange tip on a gun, or paint it on, hoping to trick officers.
"I feel they're unsafe for anybody, for any child to have and I'm sure they look fun and maybe cool or whatever but they shouldn't be played with as toys," he said.
And as always, Carlin said knowing what your child's carrying in a backpack starts at home.
"Monitor them, supervise them. Make sure they're in a safe environment to where it's under control," he said.
This isn't the first time fake guns have caused problems on the central coast.
In February, an ice cream truck sold toy guns to students near El Gabilan Elementary in Salinas.
They didn't necessarily look real, but the principal said it was causing problems at the school.
Students caught with a fake gun on campus get suspended.
If anyone takes an orange tip off of a toy or replica gun, it's a misdemeanor.
If it is openly displayed or exposed in public, the first offense carries a $100 fine, and the second time is a $300 fine. The third offense is jail time.
