Two children from Walsall were arrested over the weekend following reports of a group of youngsters pointing an imitation gun at traffic on the Reedswood Retail park.
Four youngsters aged between seven and 12 were seen throwing stones at vehicles at approximately 10am on Saturday morning before threatening a shop keeper on the retail estate.
A number of drivers contacted West Midlands police after the same group pointed what looked like a handgun at them, with one driver stating that he was asked to stop and give him the van.
Two of the youngsters were arrested after being found in possession of a knife and an imitation gun. The other two were escorted back home.
Sergeant Ben Dolan said: “This is really concerning given the ages of the children involved.
“The imitation firearm seized has been painted black to give it a more authentic appearance; several drivers believed it was a real threat and that’s why we sent armed police to the scene.
“These children may have thought it was some kind of game or fun to be pointing a fake gun at people but this caused great concern. And it’s ended with four boys being stopped by armed police which must have been pretty scary for them.
“It’s really important parents speak to their children about the dangers of carrying imitation guns and knives. They can get themselves in very serious trouble.”
Source: West Midlands Police