Armed police descend on city cul de sac after person 'threatened with firearm'

Armed police descended on a city cul de sac after a person was threatened by a gang, reportedly armed with a firearm. The incident happened in Copse Close, in ,Eyres Monsell in the early hours of today.

Leicestershire Police said a motorcycle and a lawnmower were taken from a shed by a group of five or six men. When a member of the public confronted the group, they were threatened.

A witness said a member of the gang had used a firearm to threaten the person who confronted them. However, the police did not comment on that claim when asked for clarification by LeicestershireLive. The force did say that both items taken during the aggravated burglary were later recovered nearby.

The witness also said it was the householder who had been threatened. However, police did not confirm that.

A resident of the neighbourhood, who did not wish to be named, said he heard loud noises at around 1am. He said the crooks allegedly "smashed" their way through a gate at the side of the property, and broke a rear window.

"One of them threatened the homeowner with a firearm. However they ran off before the armed police arrived."

A spokesman for the force said the armed officers were deployed in the interest of public and police safety. Detectives are now carrying out inquiries and looking for anyone with information to come forward.