A COUPLE were shot at with an air gun in Middlewich and say they fear it could have been fatal.

 

The man and woman from Middlewich, who are too afraid to be named, were in their car, parked up on Tesco car park in Southway on Sunday night, November 1, at around 9.14pm when they were shot at by someone with an air gun.

 

The ball bearing which was fired hit the car door and the owner of the car is adamant it could have resulted in death had the shot been just six inches higher.

 

He said: “I parked up on the Tesco car park and walked down to the chippie. We were in the car and talking to my friend who had come over and pulled up next to us to say hello.

 

“Then there was this massive smash noise. I walked around to the passenger side then I realised that someone has shot at us.

 

“What really frightened me was that my girlfriend was sat in the passenger seat and if it had been six inches higher it would have gone through her head.

 

“The police didn’t believe us when we called and eventually they came out to my house 30 minutes later. I think to respond in 30 minutes to a serious call that I think should be considered as attempted murder is not good enough. The officers had to come from the other side of Sandbach because we don’t have anyone in the town.

 

“I am appalled that this kind of thing goes on in Middlewich and that the police didn’t take us seriously, they seemed to be playing it down. I’ve lived in Middlewich for 10 years and I didn’t expect anything like this to happen to me here.”

 

Cheshire Police confirmed the incident and said that they are ‘investigating criminal damage to the car’.

 

A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said: “At 9.14pm on Sunday 1 November 2015 police received a report of a car being damaged by an air weapon at a supermarket car park in Southway, Middlewich.

 

“Police recovered a ball bearing from the scene. No further reports were received. Police are investigating the criminal damage to the car.

 

Anyone with information can contact Cheshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 994 of 1 November 2015. Alternatively information can be given anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

 

Cheshire Police also denied that the incident was not taken seriously by officers.

 

Insp Alison Ross added: “Any reports of potential firearms incidents are passed to the force incident manager to risk assess adhering to national guidelines – all such reports are taken very seriously. The risk assessment was made taking account of the information provided by the informant, the type of suspected weapon and any further calls being reported by the public. The inspector deemed it safe to deploy an unarmed patrol and it was graded as a grade two, which means patrols have to arrive at the scene within 60 minutes.

 

“This incident was called in at 9:14pm.  An unmarked patrol arrived in 19 minutes to make an area search and Crewe response patrols went direct to the informants address as he had left the scene and arrived in 24 minutes.

 

“The officers have attended and recorded the crime as a criminal damage to motor vehicle, damage made to the off side passenger door. 

 

“The suspect has not been located and there was no evidence to suggest that the informant was deliberately shot at.  A ball bearing was recovered from the incident area and forensic analysis, if possible will be made.  All enquires were completed at the scene including witnesses, CCTV and a search of the area.”