Fla. police want stiffer penalties for hoax guns

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — When Fla. deputy sheriffs made arrests in a recent armed robbery, one of the suspects knew he would avoid a harsh penalty.

The man told deputies they couldn't charge him with robbery with a firearm because the weapon he used was actually a BB gun.

Under Florida law, so-called "hoax guns" — which include BB, soft-air, string and paint guns — aren't considered firearms