‘Suspicious’ car sparks bomb alert in centre
STREET CORDONED OFF BY POLICE
DURHAM city centre went into lockdown yesterday morning after a security alert sparked by an illegally parked car.
Numerous residents and businesses were evacuated and a main street was cordoned off by police following reports of a “suspicious vehicle”.
Inspector Steve Dowdle made the decision to close off Saddler Street and send officers to the scene due to the ‘ unusual location’ the vehicle was in.
However it turned out to be “innocent and nothing untoward” - with the owner of the car in question issued with a fixed penalty notice.
Reports were made of a suspicious vehicle parked in a suspicious way in Saddler Street in the city centre at around 8.30am.
Insp Dowdle said that the vehicle was parked near the Co-Op Bank.
He said a number of officers were sent to the scene. They located the owner of the vehicle who then moved it.
The street was cordoned off for 20 minutes while the incident was dealt with.
Police presence in city centres across the country has been increased this week due to the terror attack in Manchester on Monday. Inspector Dowdle said the evacuation and cordon would have been done anyway due to the suspicious nature of the vehicle.
An armed officer on patrol in the city centre said: “It was just a car parked in a stupid place.
“Before the Manchester incident, nobody would have taken a second glance, but in the wake of the attack people are extra cautious.”
Carmen Bowes, who is in her final year studying Classics at Durham University, said she was evacuated from her home on Elswick Bridge.
She told ChronicleLive: “Police evacuated the street at 8.50am - it wasn’t obvious at first why but they said it was because of a car being parked on Market Place.”
Bakery staff opposite the Co-Op say police officers came into the shop, asked them to lock their doors and evacuate. They added that the car’s owner was waiting at the edge of the cordon, unaware of what was happening.
Later on Saturday morning Durham Constabulary sent out an update on social media saying the driver of the car that sparked the security alert was parked illegally and had been handed a fine.
They said: “We would like to thank everybody for your continued vigilance. We will have extra officers on patrol over the busy bank holiday weekend.”
Durham Constabulary said that it had “stepped up patrols across Durham and Darlington” in the wake of the Manchester attack.
They said: “There is nothing to suggest there is any specific threat to our communities in County Durham and Darlington.
“However, we will continue to review public events due to take place in our area over the coming days. We have sent a small number of officers to assist the policing operation in Manchester.
“Durham Constabulary have plans in place for situations like this and currently it is extremely unlikely that members of the public will see military staff on our streets.”