Bomb man held after bank siege

Smiling ... police escort suspect from bank

A MAN arrested after a three-hour siege at a bank was carrying a bomb.

Military and armed police surrounded the Co-operative bank, in Market Street, Watford, after the suspect threatened staff, Hertfordshire Police said.
The 23-year-old man was forced on to his knees outside the bank as he was arrested by officers.
The black-haired suspect was seen wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and black trousers as he was held.
Sources said the incident was not thought to be terrorist-related.
A spokeswoman said at the time: "An explosive device of some kind - as yet we don't know what this is - has been removed from this individual."
Police were called to the bank at 10.18am to reports of a man threatening to harm members of staff.
Specialist firearms teams and military bomb disposal experts attended the scene in the centre of the town.
Witnesses described police marksmen aiming their guns at the bank and reported rumours that the man had a bomb strapped to his body.
Pat Sullivan, who works at local damp-proofing firm M Mansell, said police closed the main roads around the bank and the ring road, causing traffic to back up.
She said: "I've forced my way through the barriers to get in.
"There's so many people out there - the police, police cars, fire engines, press and, I guess, bomb disposal teams.

Armed ... police surround bank siege suspect

INS News Agency

"There's groups of people out there just standing and waiting, the community is just wondering what's happening really. You can't walk out there because it's all cordoned off.
"The traffic's nose-to-tail because the police have closed most of the roads."
Hertfordshire Police said in a statement: "Safety of members of the public was paramount and a cordon was put in place and people were evacuated from nearby premises.
"There will be police activity in the town centre for a while to come. Understandably this caused concern within the community and we would like to thank members of the public for their co-operation in this matter."

Alarming ... cops at scene this morning

Cops had earlier told the public: "Clearly, our objective is to resolve this situation as peaceably as possible and thank the public locally for their co-operation and understanding that this is a fast-moving and complex situation.
"Can we ask members of the public to continue their co-operation with officers and listen to any instructions for their own safety."
The owner of G Tailoring, a business in Market Street, who wished to be named only as John, said three marksmen had aimed their weapons at the bank this morning.
He said: "There are three of them and they are about 30 feet away from the bank on the opposite side of the road. They are really the only ones we can see from here.

Video: Bomb man held after bank siege

A MAN arrested after a three-hour siege at a bank was carrying a bomb

• Sky News

"There's a lot of police around, pulling people back from the bank, and a few helicopters flying overhead.
"People are saying that the man in the bank has got a bomb strapped to himself and, as far as we know, all the hostages have been set free."
He said he first became aware that something was happening at around 10.30am.
He added: "A lady came out of the bank this morning and she was very distressed.

"I don't know if she was a staff member, I think she might have been a customer."
John said police had told people and business owners in the street to stay indoors until the incident was resolved.
He continued: "The police now are just telling people to get further and further away.
"They've told people to stay inside because, obviously, if he has got a bomb they don't know the extent of it or how big it could be.
"There's a few people around and a lot of the people who were very close to the bank were pulled away from the area by police, and people are just talking and taking pictures of the area."