Lara Croft in Armed Siege!

[Anon_F]

Those of you thinking of firing up Tomb Raider this morning should be aware that Lara Croft is currently unavailable - a guest of Manchester's Boys in Blue after armed officers cornered the gun-toting minx in a suburban living room.

The house's owner - computer shop owner David Williams - phoned police at around midnight to report "nuisance phone calls", The Daily Mail reports. Officers duly made their way to his house in Dukinfield, near Ashton-under-Lyne, but quickly spotted the silhouette of a gunman in the front room.

They cordoned off the street, called for armed back-up and, when Williams failed to answer the front door, piled in mob-handed through the rear entrance.

In the event, the armed perp put up little resistance, since she was a life-size representation of Lara Croft which Williams had taken home for disposal on eBay. He recounted: "It would have been laughable if it hadn't been so terrifying. One of the police held a gun and yelled, 'Where's the weapon, where's the weapon?'

"I didn't have a clue what was going on, I assumed they'd got the wrong house. I couldn't believe it when I realised they'd mistaken a Lara Croft dummy for someone with a gun."

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police explained that "officers peered inside after Mr Williams failed to answer his front door". She added that they "believed they saw a silhouette of a person pointing what appeared to be a firearm inside the house", and had accordingly followed "correct procedure" by backing off and calling in armed colleagues.

Williams was arrested at the scene and held for 13 hours. He's now been bailed on firearms offences and will find out next month if he faces further action. He says he is "speaking to lawyers about a possible claim for wrongful arrest".

Lara Croft, meanwhile, remains "impounded as evidence".

Taken from The Register - Technology News - Thursday, May 17 01:30 pm

 

[PotGuy]

The police have nasty habit of mistaking things for guns.

Remeber that bloke who got shot because they mistook a table leg he was carrying for a gun?

 

[michael 118]

I spose the police were doing the right thing in taking every precaution

 

[muckshifter]

He's now been bailed on firearms offences and will find out next month if he faces further action.

He actually had guns ???

Remember that bloke who got shot because they mistook a table leg he was carrying for a gun?

I remember the Policeman recently killed to.

As far as I'm concerned, the police did nothing wrong here.

The Register just love "headlines" but are full of FUD.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I do suspect some elongation of the facts there.

The police wouldn't arrest somebody on firearms charges without actually finding a firearm.

Nor would they detain somebody for 13 hours over posessing an instore promotion item.

Either the guy had something he shouln't have had or the story contains mis-truths.

The police are a double edged sword. I do feel for them when an officer is killed in the line of duty but I also despise them because of past encounters.

Like being beaten up in a cell and being fitted up for a drugs charge (which didn't actually stick, the magistrate sent the two DC's away with a flea in their ear and I got a conditional discharge).

I still think of Louise Fletcher and the middle aged officer murdered at Clapham about 10 years ago though.

Like I said, double edged sword.

 

[Anon_F]

It's a fine line when you have to make a split second judgement on wether to draw a firearm and shoot someone.
This act could/can well result in criminal charges brought against the officer discharging their weapon.

In hindsight may be it was not such a good thread to post.
And If you want to pull the thread thats fine by me.

 

[muckshifter]

Feckit, we all know the "hidden" rules around here ...


You posted in good faith ... it was, by The Register's standards, meant as a 'jokey' news item ... the thing about the Register is, they haven't a clue on what "tech news" is ... even if it bit them in the face.