Three teenagers have allegedly used a gel blaster to hold up a convenience store in north Queensland.

Two boys, aged 17 and 13, and a 15-year-old girl allegedly stole food from the store in Townsville about 4pm on Tuesday.

They were confronted by a shop attendant when one of the boys “allegedly raised his shirt to reveal what appeared to be a handgun”, police said.

The trio then left the store.

Police caught them nearby soon after the incident, when a gel blaster pistol was allegedly found during their arrest.

File image of gel blaster being used recreationally. Credit: 7NEWS

The misuse of gel blasters, a device used to shoot soft pellets which are being increasingly used for recreation, has been an issue in Queensland.

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State Police Minister Mark Ryan last month flagged a crackdown on the toys, saying their close resemblance to real handguns meant they could be used to “threaten people or commit crimes”.

Gel blaster enthusiasts have opposed any crackdown on the basis that people misusing gel blasters should not stop people enjoying them.

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