THIS IS the terrifying moment a topless “gunman” wielded a fake shotgun in front of a little boy and allegedly tried to steal a football.
Shocking CCTV footage captured the man marching towards a corner shop yesterday afternoon.
The man is seen approaching another man outside the corner shop
He thrusts a ‘shotgun’ at him
The victim drops his football and runs away
The man hands the football to a child saying ‘it’s our ball now’
He shouts ‘Oi’ as he goes to confront a man carrying the ball before cocking an imitation shotgun.
He points the long-barrelled weapon – believed to be an airgun – to his stunned victim’s chin before cracking him around the head with it.
The victim says: “What’s up, man?”
The gunman, wearing black boxer shorts and socks, shouts: “Gimme the s***.”
The victim replies: “What’s up?”
The gunman again shouts: “Gimme the s*** now.”
But when the man replies “I’ve got nothing” the alleged attacker swings his weapon and hits the ball out of his hands.
His victim shouts “f***ing hell” before running inside the corner shop to raise the alarm.
The gunman then picks the ball up from the ground and hands it to a child standing nearby – saying: “Hold that, hold that…it’s our ball now.”
As he walks away, he adds: “I’ve shot myself” but he doesn’t appear to have any injuries.
The drama was captured on CCTV outside the convenience store in Alvaston, Derbyshire, shortly after midday.
Moments earlier a man had allegedly held up a taxi driver.
Armed police quickly swarmed the area in a desperate search for the suspect.
A man, 32, was arrested in the garden of a nearby house on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm, robbery and attempted robbery.
A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: “Officers were called to reports of a man with a weapon in Chambers Street, Alvaston, at 12.50pm yesterday.
“We then received further reports that the man had attempted to rob a taxi driver and another man outside a convenience store.
“Firearms officers were deployed and when they arrived they located the man in the garden of a house nearby where he was arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm, robbery, and attempted robbery.
“The man, who is in his 30s and from Derby, remains in police custody.
“There is no ongoing risk to the public and nobody suffered serious physical injuries as a result of the incident.
“Anyone who has not already spoken with officers, in particular those with CCTV or dashcam footage that captures the incidents, is asked to contact the force.”