Man ‘took people hostage with fake bomb tied to chest’

A MAN who took people hostage at a job centre had a fake explosive device strapped to his chest, police have revealed.

The 28-year-old walked into the Byker Job Centre Plus in Newcastle at 8am brandishing a knife, Northumbria Police said.

Officers responded in nine minutes and shut down roads, closed Byker Metro Station, evacuated buildings and began negotiating with the hostage-taker.

Armed police were sent to the scene and a cordon was put in place. Officers were swift to dismiss fears the incident was terror-related.

Police said the man was known to job centre staff and he engaged with officers early on during the incident.

He released everyone in the building within 30 minutes and surrendered at 11.15am, when he was arrested for making threats to kill.

It was at that point police confirmed the explosive device was fake.

Assistant Chief Constable Darren Best, who said it must have been concerning for the public, said: “It must have been particularly traumatising for those staff members who were kept inside the premises but we were able to secure their release within just half an hour of arriving on scene.

“Our specialist negotiators engaged with the man very early on and their efforts are one of the main reasons that this incident was brought to a safe conclusion and that nobody was injured.”