Police have charged a teenage boy after a firearm was seized following a bag search in a shopping centre at Jesmond yesterday.

About 7am (Wednesday 5 August 2015), a business on Allowah Street, Waratah, was broken into by a male who allegedly threatened staff with a firearm and stole a number of items.

The male also allegedly stole a Toyota Camry sedan and left the area.

About 1.25pm yesterday (Wednesday 12 August), officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command were patrolling near a shopping centre on Newcastle Road, when a stolen Toyota Camry was sighted.

Police searched the shopping complex and a teenage boy was stopped and spoken to.

The boy was searched and officers allegedly located a shortened .22 bolt action rifle in his bag.

He was arrested and taken to Waratah Police Station.

The teen was charged with conveyance taken without consent of owner, never licensed persons drive vehicle on road, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm and not keep firearm safely.

He was bail refused and appeared at a Children’s Court today (Thursday 13 August 2015), where he was refused bail to reappear at a Children’s Court on Monday 7 September 2015.

Inquiries are continuing and investigators are appealing for anyone with information about the robbery to contact Crime Stoppers.