Southampton kidnap suspect arrested after armed police raid

Residents in Shirley Warren woke up to officers armed with guns shouting outside a property in Sycamore Road at around 1.30am.

A nearby resident described the scene as "very scary" - "something you see in movies", she said.

• Live updates after armed raid in Shirley Warren

Police have since confirmed a 20-year-old man from Southampton has been held on suspicion of making threats to kill, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, kidnap and failing to stop a vehicle.

A custody extension allowing officers more time to question him has been granted.

Police outside a house in Sycamore Road in the early hours of Sunday (Image: Submitted)

The arrest is in connection with an alleged attack on two men on Rowborough Road on Wednesday, January 17. Police say neither were seriously injured.

Recalling the moment officers first arrived in Shirley Warren in the middle of the night, a woman said: “I was in bed and my boyfriend woke me up and said there was something happening outside.

“I went to the window and saw a lot of police outside the house.

“They started shouting and pointing guns and torches at the house.

“They started saying ‘this is your last warning’. It was very scary, something you see in movies.

“They also had a drone which was flying over the house. We could hear them and see the green light flashing.”

Police in Sycamore Road on Sunday morning (Image: Newsquest)

Police in Shirley Warren on Sunday morning (Image: Newsquest)

Another woman, whose ring doorbell camera recorded the voice of an officer shouting outside the door, said: “The police were here and they went into a house. They started shouting ‘you’re surrounded by armed police’.”

She added: “Living in Shirley Warren it’s not surprising seeing police raids but it’s not often we have armed police here.”

Several police cars were parked in the area on Sunday morning as part of the investigation.

They left at around 11am.