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| Police arrest man, 50, after three-hour siege in central London office | Police arrest man, 50, after three-hour siege in central London office |
| (4 months later) | |
| Police have arrested a 50-year-old man at the centre of an armed siege in a busy London street on Friday. | Police have arrested a 50-year-old man at the centre of an armed siege in a busy London street on Friday. |
| The man was seen being led away just over three hours after armed police and an explosives team were called to an office building on Tottenham Court Road. | The man was seen being led away just over three hours after armed police and an explosives team were called to an office building on Tottenham Court Road. |
| Scotland Yard said the building was being searched but there was no indication at this time that hostages had been held. | Scotland Yard said the building was being searched but there was no indication at this time that hostages had been held. |
| The incident produced chaos in central London as police imposed a 300-metre cordon around the area after a witness said a man had arrived at the office of Advantage HGV with gas canisters strapped to his body and threatened to blow himself up. A police negotiator was called to the scene. | The incident produced chaos in central London as police imposed a 300-metre cordon around the area after a witness said a man had arrived at the office of Advantage HGV with gas canisters strapped to his body and threatened to blow himself up. A police negotiator was called to the scene. |
| It was also reported that the man was throwing computers and other equipment out of a window. | It was also reported that the man was throwing computers and other equipment out of a window. |
| Images on Twitter showed various items being thrown from the building, including computer monitors and piles of paper. | Images on Twitter showed various items being thrown from the building, including computer monitors and piles of paper. |
| Ryan Murphy, an electrician who was working on the roof of 170 Tottenham Court Road, confirmed that several large items had been thrown from the building next door. | Ryan Murphy, an electrician who was working on the roof of 170 Tottenham Court Road, confirmed that several large items had been thrown from the building next door. |
| "I saw about 7 or 8 TVs or LCD screens being thrown out of the window and a couple of keyboards and filing cabinets," he said. | "I saw about 7 or 8 TVs or LCD screens being thrown out of the window and a couple of keyboards and filing cabinets," he said. |
| "I didn't know what to think. Everyone else was getting evacuated but no one had come up to see us [at that point]." | "I didn't know what to think. Everyone else was getting evacuated but no one had come up to see us [at that point]." |
| He and his workmates were eventually evacuated by an armed officer. | He and his workmates were eventually evacuated by an armed officer. |
| Reports that the man had canisters strapped to his body have not been confirmed. | Reports that the man had canisters strapped to his body have not been confirmed. |
| In a video posted on YouTube by Stephen Hull, an editor with the Huffington Post, a witness who works at the transport and logistics firm spoke about the incident. | In a video posted on YouTube by Stephen Hull, an editor with the Huffington Post, a witness who works at the transport and logistics firm spoke about the incident. |
| Abby Baafi, the head of training and operations, said she recognised him as a customer of the company, which provides HGV (heavy goods vehicle) training courses. | Abby Baafi, the head of training and operations, said she recognised him as a customer of the company, which provides HGV (heavy goods vehicle) training courses. |
| "He turned up, strapped up with gasoline cylinders, and threatened to blow up the office," Baafi said at the scene. | "He turned up, strapped up with gasoline cylinders, and threatened to blow up the office," Baafi said at the scene. |
| "He said he doesn't care about his life. He doesn't care about anything, he is going to blow up everybody." | "He said he doesn't care about his life. He doesn't care about anything, he is going to blow up everybody." |
| She said the man had failed an HGV training course and wanted his money back. | She said the man had failed an HGV training course and wanted his money back. |
| The Metropolitan police had earlier issued a statement, saying: "Officers are in attendance at an incident in Tottenham Court Road, where a 50-year-old man is causing a disturbance. | The Metropolitan police had earlier issued a statement, saying: "Officers are in attendance at an incident in Tottenham Court Road, where a 50-year-old man is causing a disturbance. |
| "Police were called at 11.59am on Friday 27 April to an office building on Tottenham Court Road. | "Police were called at 11.59am on Friday 27 April to an office building on Tottenham Court Road. |
| "Items, including electrical equipment, have been thrown out of a fifth-floor window." | "Items, including electrical equipment, have been thrown out of a fifth-floor window." |
| The statement added that no injuries had been reported and it was not clear if there were other people in the building at the time. | The statement added that no injuries had been reported and it was not clear if there were other people in the building at the time. |
| Sarah O'Meara of the Huffington Post said the media company had evacuated its offices in nearby Capper Street after being alerted by a passerby. | Sarah O'Meara of the Huffington Post said the media company had evacuated its offices in nearby Capper Street after being alerted by a passerby. |
| "A woman ran in off the street saying: 'There is a guy with a bomb and he is threatening to blow himself up', and that we needed to evacuate," she said. | "A woman ran in off the street saying: 'There is a guy with a bomb and he is threatening to blow himself up', and that we needed to evacuate," she said. |
| "Everyone got out. The police have been moving people back street by street." | "Everyone got out. The police have been moving people back street by street." |
| O'Meara said the atmosphere had been "tragi-comic" until the police arrived and it turned serious. | O'Meara said the atmosphere had been "tragi-comic" until the police arrived and it turned serious. |
| "He was throwing stuff out of the windows – it looked like someone with a grievance," she said. | "He was throwing stuff out of the windows – it looked like someone with a grievance," she said. |
| "But then the police arrived and started telling everyone: 'This is serious, this is for your own safety. He has got gas.'" | "But then the police arrived and started telling everyone: 'This is serious, this is for your own safety. He has got gas.'" |
| Tottenham Court Road was cordoned off from near Goodge Street tube station all the way up to the Euston Road – a distance of almost half a mile. | Tottenham Court Road was cordoned off from near Goodge Street tube station all the way up to the Euston Road – a distance of almost half a mile. |
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