A young man was arrested shortly after he was seen carrying what later turned out to be a toy pistol next to the Lombard Bank in Triq Milner, Sliema, yesterday afternoon.

Sources said a policeman guarding the bank was informed of the man, aged 24, by employees who feared the worst. He immediately notified the district police, who, together with the Mobile Squad, started looking for the suspect, based on the description provided. The man, who seemed to have been out drinking, was soon traced but no weapon was found.

Two vigilant policemen on beach patrol, who were following the incident on their walkie-talkie, decided to lend a hand and began searching the promenade. They soon came across what looked like a toy pistol beneath a parked car. They took the item to the police station and it did not take long to connect this to the suspect.

kbugeja@timesofmalta.com