Armed police raid home after mistaking Lara Croft dummy for gunman

**Matt D** · 16-05-2007, 22:48

Residents in Greater Manchester can sleep easy now, safe in the knowledge that a dangerous Lara Croft mannequin has been thwarted & her owner arrested.

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/la...-house-raided/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Quote:

Originally Posted by DailyMail

James Tozer - Last updated at 18:57pm on 15th May 2007

When police spotted a gun-wielding suspect lurking in the shadows of a suburban front room, their response was swift.

Armed officers burst into the house, shouted at the owner to lie on the floor, and ordered him to surrender his weapon.

But efficiency turned to embarrassment when the "gunman" turned out to be a life-sized model of the video game character Lara Croft, complete with trademark outsized pistols.

Computer shop owner David Williams, 42, had taken the dummy home to put it up for sale on the auction site eBay.

As the source of the confusion dawned on all concerned, it might have been the moment for an apology from the police.

Instead, however, Mr Williams was taken to the cells and held for more than 13 hours before being released.

He is now on bail for a suspected firearms offence, and Lara Croft remains impounded as evidence.

(snip snip snip)

Mr Clean · 16-05-2007, 23:00

AntiSilence · 16-05-2007, 23:18

Yet another incident of the police arresting people for silly things (I'm on about the ones like being arrested for 'possession of an egg with intent to throw'). I hope he sues them for wrongful arrest. I can understand their response to what they thought was a gunman, but when they found it to be only a dummy, they should have apologised and left.

The police have seriously got their priorities wrong.

**Derek S** · 17-05-2007, 05:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntiSilence

I hope he sues them for wrongful arrest.

Another armchair critic

Perhaps the cops were thinking about the police officer who was shot and killed when attending a call recently when they called for assistance?

I'd imagine the full story isn't out there (as is usual for these kind of stories)

AntiSilence · 17-05-2007, 07:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek S

Another armchair critic

Perhaps the cops were thinking about the police officer who was shot and killed when attending a call recently when they called for assistance?

I'd imagine the full story isn't out there (as is usual for these kind of stories)

So what else could their be to the story? Was he trying to attack the police with Lara's over-sized breasts?

I just get fed up of the hearing the stories (perhaps all not in full; maybe the bloke in possession of the egg was arrested because it was hard boiled, making it a particularly nasty crime. And the kid with the cucumber, he must have needed armed response) of the silly things that police arrest people for, while people who've had serious crime against them get ignored.

I know it's not all the officers fault (what with having to meet silly government targets) but they still should have some common sense and use it when needed (i.e., to tell the bloke with the egg that if he throws it he'll be in trouble) and not just arrest kids for throwing a cream bun at a bus.

**David F** · 17-05-2007, 07:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek S

Another armchair critic

Perhaps the cops were thinking about the police officer who was shot and killed when attending a call recently when they called for assistance?

I'd imagine the full story isn't out there (as is usual for these kind of stories)

so the fact a policeman got killed is reason enough to arrest a man and try to push for a conviction because of a big doll and a toy gun I dont think so.The worst harm this could have done was if he threw it out the windows at them. Would like to know what the full story is maybe he was role playing

"oh lara dont shoot me I got a loaded gun for you"

"your nicked mate"

**Russ B** · 17-05-2007, 08:02

Perhaps they couldn't quite see it was a doll? I remember when TR1 came out and my local Odeon had one of these lifesized figures of Croft pointing a gun. If all you could see was an outline through curtain nets or in the dark, I can see how the mistake could be made especially as the cops don't take chances.

**David F** · 17-05-2007, 08:04

Agreed its easy to understand why this happened but the arrest on a firearms charge? I got bb guns perfectly legal if the old bill saw me with one through my window in my house I could understand them coming in but then dragging me off I couldnt. If its all as it seems id sue and I would want the policemen involved in pushing for a charge actually charged for wasting his own time

joglynne · 17-05-2007, 08:21

Must make sure I always answer my door promptly in future.

Quote:

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said the force could not comment. But a GMP source said it appeared to be a genuine mistake. "Officers called and got no answer. "If he'd answered the door, none of it would have happened."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....oft_dummy.html

A policeman I know is nicknamed 'Teflon' after a young offender slipped out of his grasp. It was several years ago and the nickname is still used. Wonder what these arresting officer's nicknames are going to be. 'Tomb Raider' would probably be the least embarrassing to live with.

handyman · 17-05-2007, 09:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ B

Perhaps they couldn't quite see it was a doll? I remember when TR1 came out and my local Odeon had one of these lifesized figures of Croft pointing a gun. If all you could see was an outline through curtain nets or in the dark, I can see how the mistake could be made especially as the cops don't take chances.

But this was a mannequin so would have been stationary, any person with a brain cell will tell you its impossible to hold your arms out stretched for a length of time, let alone holding 2 guns out.

TheDaddy · 17-05-2007, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

Agreed its easy to understand why this happened but the arrest on a firearms charge? I got bb guns perfectly legal if the old bill saw me with one through my window in my house I could understand them coming in but then dragging me off I couldnt. If its all as it seems id sue and I would want the policemen involved in pushing for a charge actually charged for wasting his own time

Years ago a malicious neighbour told the police she had seen a gun in my house, it was actually a air pistol and a blatantly obvious air pistol at that, armed police had snipers on rooftops, kicked my door in and rushed in shouting waving guns etc, after they had seen the pistol they were very apologetic and arranged for a carpenter to come and fix my door, my gripe is with the women that called them, see knew full well it wasn't real and her actions could have had tragic consequences, I can only hope karma catches up with her in the end

Xaccers · 17-05-2007, 09:55

The bit I don't understand is why after realising it was a dummy, did they arrest it's owner, held him for 13 hours, then released him on bail for suspected firearms offences, so he's been charged with something.
I'm wondering what else they found in the house then.

If his arrest and charge are in relation to the dummy, then WTF???

**David F** · 17-05-2007, 09:57

IIRC you can get done for a firearms offence with a fake gun if its used in a certain way. Maybe they found something else maybe they just hit him with a bumped up charge. CPS still has to pass it on to the courts a charge at the nick does not mean you will face the beak

**Russ B** · 17-05-2007, 12:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by handyman

But this was a mannequin so would have been stationary, any person with a brain cell will tell you its impossible to hold your arms out stretched for a length of time, let alone holding 2 guns out.

But equally anyone with the same brain cell will tell you that when you suspect someone is pointing a gun at you, rational thought and anything other than "I think there's a gun pointing at me" goes out of the window.

Still, seems like plenty of people know better than serving police officers.

gazzae · 17-05-2007, 12:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ B

But equally anyone with the same brain cell will tell you that when you suspect someone is pointing a gun at you, rational thought and anything other than "I think there's a gun pointing at me" goes out of the window.

Still, seems like plenty of people know better than serving police officers.

I don't blame the police for their initial action. What I don't understand is why after it was discovered to be a mannequin he was still arrested and held for 13 hours.