Air gun seized in early morning raid on estate
Armed police respond to calls concerning weapon possession
A man who was arrested after armed police seized an air gun from a house in Maidstone has been released without charge. Officers with guns were spotted at Park Wood estate at about 2am on Sunday near Collington Terrace and Chestnut Close. The force was called at around 10.30pm the previous night to a report of a man seen in possession of a weapon.
Residents reported seeing some 15 officers and a police dog during the commotion.
Others took to social media saying they had been woken up by police helicopters which had been circling during the raid. An air weapon was seized from a property and a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
But following a number of enquiries, there was no evidence to suggest any offences had taken place and the suspect was released without charge. During the raid, pictures show officers removing a weapon from the back of a marked police car and another standing guard in the street.
An officer was also seen through a window inside a property.
In 2018, Park Wood was the subject of another armed raid after a teenage boy was seen with a weapon.
It happened on September 11 and residents were told to stay inside their homes as police set up a cordon around Wallis Avenue and the junction with Longshaw Road.
Armed police and sniffer dogs entered flats above a row of shops, before storming a nearby property.
Despite the raids on two properties, police left the scene without making an arrest.
Then in August 2019 crowds gathered after an incident in Massey near Tovil.
Police descended on a block of flats training their guns at the building before a man was brought out of the building.