Man in clown costume charged after allegedly pointing replica gun at driver

A man dressed as a clown has been charged after allegedly pointing a replica gun at a driver in Western Sydney.

A man was in a car stopped at traffic lights on Wallgrove Road in Eastern Creek just before 8am yesterday when a truck pulled up next to it.

That is when police allege the 24-year-old truck passenger, who was wearing a clown mask, pointed a fake pistol out his window at the driver.

Officers from Cumberland Police Area Command were called and stopped the vehicle on the M4 in Merrylands a short time later. They found the 24-year-old, clown mask and replica pistol.

The man was arrested and taken to Granville Police Station, where he was charged with possessing a firearm (intimidation), being armed with intent and intimidation.

A spate of incidents involving clowns intimidating people in 2016 prompted some fancy dress shops to stop hiring out the costumes.