Warning after second air gun incident | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

Just a day after Hastings police had been called to an incident involving an air gun being fired near a school Napier police took a similar call and delivered a strong "formal caution" to the 19-year-old they ended up speaking to.

"Use common sense," was the reiterated advice from police in the wake of the second call-out in as many days.

Police were called about 5.20pm on Tuesday by a person who said they had seen a man with a rifle just off Kennedy Rd and near Nelson Park School.

The man appeared to have aimed it into the air and fired it.

A police patrol went to the area and came across the 19-year-old. He told officers he had picked the air gun up from a mate who had fixed it for him, as he wanted to sell it.

He had fired two "test" shots up into a palm tree.

"He made a silly, naive mistake," Sergeant Eion Evans said.

The man was co-operative with police and apologised, although the air gun was seized.

Napier police firearms officer Senior Constable Dennis Hurworth said air guns and pellet guns were placed in with firearms and even explosives in a raft of offences under the Arms Act.

Unlawful possession, brandishing it at someone or using it in any way unlawfully could result in charges up to three months in prison and fines up to $4000.

• On Monday afternoon police turned out after receiving reports of a man firing a gun from a house in Lowe St, Camberley.

The 2pm call-out disrupted schoolchildren trying to get home.

Police spent about 90 minutes setting up cordons and ensuring residents in the area were safe.

The "gunman" had been firing at cans on a fence with an air gun - something which did not impress police. He was not charged but the air gun was seized.