A 20-year-old Crace man who left a Franklin bottle shop empty-handed after an attempted armed robbery yesterday evening will face the ACT Magistrates Court today on three weapons charges.

Police will allege the man entered the store about 5.05pm, wearing a balaclava and demanded the shop attendant hand over items from behind the counter. During the attempted robbery, the man indicated he had a firearm in the waistband of his pants.

The man left the shop empty-handed, and a short time later was located by police in The Valley Avenue, Gungahlin.

During a police search, the man was found to be in possession of a replica ‘gel blaster’ handgun and a knife, and placed under arrest.

The man will appear in the ACT Magistrates Court today, Monday 13 March, charged with unauthorised possession of firearms, possession of a knife without a reasonable excuse, and attempted aggravated robbery using an offensive weapon.

ACT Policing is reminding the public that replica firearms known as gel blasters are illegal in the ACT and are classified as prohibited firearms in the ACT.

Any person found in possession of a gel blaster may be charged under Section 42 (unauthorised possession/use of prohibited firearms) or Section 43 (unauthorised possession/use of firearms other than prohibited) of the Firearms Act 1996, these offences carry a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.

People in possession of these weapons should surrender them to the ACT Policing Exhibit Management Centre, 86 Vicars St, Mitchell ACT; phone 02 5126 9076.