THUGS are thought to have shot at least four victims with a BB gun in St Albans in the last couple of weeks.

Police are appealing for witnesses and victims to come forward after the people reported being shot in the Cottonmill and city centre areas in separate incidents.

In the first incident, which took place at 3.45pm last Thursday (June 24), a 12-year-old boy was walking along Stanhope Road when he was hit in the neck by a pellet from a BB gun but he was not injured.

On the following Tuesday (June 29) a man reported that a shot was fired at him but missed in Holyrood Crescent at around 9pm.

Then, just over an hour later, a man in his 30s was hit on the head with a pellet, causing him to fall and sustain an injury to his leg which required hospital treatment.

Shortly afterwards, at 10.30pm, a man is believed to have been shot with an air gun outside his property in Bricket Wood, causing him to suffer minor swelling and bruising to his face. A car was seen driving off from the scene.

PC Richard Wicks pointed out that it was an offence to carry a BB gun in public and said: “It is believed the shots were fired from a BB gun from a passing vehicle.

“I would like to speak with anyone who has witnessed these incidents, or any other similar incidents in the past week. It may be that you have been hit or shot at and may have not reported the incident to police.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Richard Wicks or PC Neil Pugh via the non-emergency number on 0845 3300222.

Three 18-year-old boys from St Albans have been arrested in connection with the incidents and have been released on police bail until August.