A SOUTHAMPTON family has criticised police after armed officers swarmed through a Southampton street and arrested three men on suspicion of kidnap.

At least ten officers stormed Acacia Road, near Bitterne, after a vehicle spotted in an earlier kidnap report was found on the street.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of kidnap after a man was seen being forced into a vehicle in Antelope Park, Bursledon Road, at 4.24pm on Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the same vehicle was found on Acacia Road.

Two 18-year-olds and a 25-year-old were arrested less than three hours after police received reports of the earlier incident.

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But the family has criticised the police’s handling of the arrests with claims of aggression.

One family member said: “I am angry at the police. They were grabbing people and throwing them to the ground.

“I videoed the whole thing so people will see what really went on. They sent three officers for one man, and then all of a sudden, loads more for just two teenagers.”

Hampshire Constabulary said if the family made the complaint official, it would look into the allegations.

Onlookers described a scene in chaos as the arrests were made.

Richard, 29, who lives nearby, said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in front of me. Two were taken away and a younger one was strapped up and put in a police car.

“Armed police were forcing people out and to the ground and other younger kids were raring them all on.”

Another bystander said he saw one person being thrown to the ground after a fight started.

Kevin McCarthy, 55, said: “I was walking my daughter to an evening class and saw police drive past me. I walked further on and saw it all – there were arrests made outside and one boy was thrown to the floor because a fight broke out, it was chaos.”

Police had been called to Antelope Park in Bursledon Road earlier in the afternoon after receiving reports of a man being forced into a vehicle in what they described as a suspicious incident.

Officers couldn’t give any further details of the reported kidnap.

A spokesman for Hampshire police said: “We were called at 4.24pm as it was reported a man was seen to be forced into a vehicle.

“The vehicle was located. Two 18-year-olds and a 25-year-old were arrested on suspicion of kidnap.”

The three men arrested remained in police custody when the Echo went to press.

A 17-year-old has also been charged with assaulting a police officer. He will appear in court on June 5.