Incident in Bradford city centre

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  • Dozens of police officers were in Bradford city centre at lunch-time during an incident initially reported as a bank robbery

2:25pm

That concludes our live coverage of the incident. Thank you to all those who tweeted us and called with information - we appreciate it. We'll be trying to find out why such a big police response for such an incident, so be sure to check back on the site and pick up tomorrow's Telegraph & Argus.

2:07pm

And we've got an official statement from West Yorkshire Police.

A police spokesman said that a man, age unknown, walked into Superdrug on Bank Street and was approached by staff in there on suspicion of theft.


He became aggressive and then left and headed into a bank on Market Street, believed to be NatWest where he was apprehended by a PCSO who removed him from the bank.


“He was still acting aggressively as he was removed and then assaulted the PCSO, who then called for emergency assistance,” the spokesman said.


“The man has been arrested on suspicion of theft and assaulting an officer and is currently in custody.”


The officer received minor injuries and it is understood no weapon was used.

2:04pm

Our crime reporter Steve Wright reports that the drama now seems to be over - police and crowds dispersed.

2:03pm

2:03pm

2:02pm

2:01pm

2:01pm

More sirens in the city centre...

2:00pm

1:59pm

We'll let you know as soon as police confirm one way or the other, Callum!
 

1:58pm

We're just waiting for the official police statement and an explanation as to why such a huge police response - nine or ten cars and vans, dozens of officers - was required for an incident involving one individual...

1:52pm

Pictures clearly show, however, at least eight police vehicles and witnesses have told us up to 100 officers.

1:52pm

West Yorkshire Police say it is NOTHING to do with a bank robbery.

1:51pm

Official line from the police is that around 1.20pm a Police Community Support Officer requested emergency assistance in relation to an individual in Market Street.

1:49pm

Police now reported to be dispersing from the scene.

1:48pm

Crime reporter Steve Wright: "There's supposed to have been a robbery at a bank, a lot of people are saying Nat West. I've been in Nat West and they deny it.

"I'm also being told about the presence of a gun but that's not been confirmed by anyone.

"Witnesses report police arresting one man who was on the ground and struggling and he was led away."

1:47pm

More pix from our readers, this time Ben King:
 

1:45pm

1:44pm

There's still a lot of uncertainty whether this is actually the Nat West - our reporter Steve Wright has been told not on the scene. More as we clear this up.

1:39pm

Reader Chris Blackburn has tweeted us this pic
 
 

1:37pm

Paul Coleman, who was shopping in Waterstones, heard sirens outside and saw people running around. He reports that there were nine or 10 police cars and what appeared to be a number of plain-clothes officers.

1:36pm

We're getting reports that it relates to the Nat West bank.

1:36pm

Reporter Claire Lomax says: "I was standing outside the Wool Exchange when two police officers apprehended and cuffed a young man."

1:35pm

Reporter Claire Lomax was on the scene at around 1.15pm when she saw "police coming from every direction on to Market Street" in the city centre.

Crowds had gathered along Market Street and up Bank Street as police cars and video vans with sirens blaring flooded into the area.

1:32pm

Huge crowds gathered in Bradford city centre as a suspected bank robbery was carried out at lunchtime.

Comments(15)

The Hoffster says...
2:33pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Maybe the guy mistook the bank for Poundland or the bookies?

Bacon Bantam says...
2:57pm Thu 4 Oct 12

So he was actually stealing from Superdrug and not holding up Natwest as suggested.

mad matt says...
3:10pm Thu 4 Oct 12

bet that woke 'em up!

Yorkshire Lass says...
3:13pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Superdrug? Whats up was he out of deodorant?

ANY WHERE BUT HERE says...
3:21pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Very good use of police resources,for ONE MAN.
Another six months of austerity,they will after bring the army in.

A Casual Observer says...
3:25pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Bank robbery? why all the fuss? Banks are always committing robbery.

A Casual Observer says...
3:26pm Thu 4 Oct 12

ANY WHERE BUT HERE wrote:
Very good use of police resources,for ONE MAN.
Another six months of austerity,they will after bring the army in.
We don't have an army anymore, Cameron has dismantled it.

A Casual Observer says...
4:28pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Judging by the Police response perhaps someone had escaped from the Work Programme...

watcher22 says...
6:51pm Thu 4 Oct 12

wow! read all those mixed up reports!
All the budding John Simpsons hitting the drama button.
An officer was having trouble and obviously asked for help. Shame the great Bradford public couldn't help so the officer could cancel the call for help.

keighleyg2 says...
10:13pm Thu 4 Oct 12

ANY WHERE BUT HERE wrote:
Very good use of police resources,for ONE MAN.
Another six months of austerity,they will after bring the army in.
I agree - an absolute disproportionate response and misuse of resources. The offender was unlikely to have been of high risk to have caused significant harm and it was more likely that the PCSO was unable to deal with the situation with the use of her communication skills and simply antagonised the offender further. Maybe the PCSO needs to be looked at for further training as such a pathetically over-reactive response for the apprehension of ONE MAN from the police can not happen on a frequent basis! Knowing a couple of the female PCSO's that monitor the city centre - I think it is more likely to have been a lack of skills on their part that evoked such a situation.

keighleyg2 says...
10:16pm Thu 4 Oct 12

watcher22 wrote:
wow! read all those mixed up reports!
All the budding John Simpsons hitting the drama button.
An officer was having trouble and obviously asked for help. Shame the great Bradford public couldn't help so the officer could cancel the call for help.
Errm, "Shame the great Bradford public couldn't help so the officer could cancel the call for help"....the great Bradford Police people often shove you away if you try and get involved to calm the situation down after seeing how some police personnel have failed to diffuse things appropriately!

Thee Voice of Reason says...
11:56pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Just remember if this was you there would not be a police officer in sight, but hundreds turn out when a bank might be in trouble.

alfucham says...
2:20am Fri 5 Oct 12

well well some response but after sharon i suppose its understandable.

Bit different response to my 2 999 calls some 2 months back after assisying in a citizens arrest after a hood made off with a shoppers i phone.

23 minutes to turn up 2 calls had to be made as we were not sure if the guy was armed or dangerous and when they strolled up (eventually)not much interest in the situation as they read him his rights and took him away.

A wek later I took a call from Bradford Trafalgar House where the female officer said we will get in touch if we need a statement.

2 months on not a word.

Wonder why the crime stats are always reported to be down?

Guess whether action is taken or not depends on how busy or full the jails are.

Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime?

politispeak.

In other words bullyshit.

Now those dark nights are here again guess its Annie grab yer gun time.

burglaries starting up again in my parents heaton locality already.

chopper up tonite.

Oh what a **** cess pitt this city has become.

Cue the big bull.

leeds/Liverpool blah blah blah have more crime than us.

the place is a zoo and funnily enough the arriving police officers concurred with my view.

I think they have given up on the job as a lost cause.

bring back hanging,the stocks and draw and quarter.
public beheadings might stop the rot.

Is it really only a hundred years or so since you were hung for stealing a sheep?

Its a mean old scene and I cant see it improving

Apollo says...
7:29am Fri 5 Oct 12

The massive Police over-reaction to this incident certainly puts the lie to the fact that there are no Police covering Bradford.

I wonder which fortress Police station they finally managed to pluck up the courage to venture from?

Utter nonsense that so many officers turn up to one incident. Where is the Command and Control?

ANY WHERE BUT HERE says...
12:42am Sat 6 Oct 12

People who are the victims of crime,you alone are the only deterant so do make your argument count.

click2find

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