Armed police rush to cemetery after reports of shots being fired
ARMED police were scrambled to a cemetery after groundsmen reported shots being fired around them in broad daylight which bounced off the wall of a workshop building, forcing them to take cover.
Three groundsmen feared they were coming under fire and called the police, who sent a firearms unit to the scene at Llanelli District Cemetery – known locally as Box Cemetery – last Thursday morning.
A police helicopter was also heard overhead, and a police presence was maintained at the 24-acre burial site, located off Swansea Road in the town, throughout the rest of the day on Thursday.
Nobody was injured during what police described as an isolated incident, but a man and a teenager have been arrested in connection with the incident and remain under investigation.
Llanelli Rural Council, which manages the cemetery, warned that incidents of this nature would not be tolerated.
Graham Williams, the cemetery’s manager, said: “Three workers on site rang me because they thought they were coming under fire. They could see pellets ricocheting around them and took cover.
“I immediately rang the police and they did a search of the cemetery and the surrounding areas. It’s not the first time something like this has happened – a similar incident happened a few years ago.
“We thank the police for their quick response and we’re obviously thankful that nobody was hurt, be it workers at the cemetery, who were preparing a plot for a burial, or members of the public.”
A spokesman for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “We were called to reports of air rifle shots being fired at Box Cemetery, Llanelli, at around 11.25am on Thursday, January 7.
“Officers from DyfedPowys Police, including armed response, attended.
“Two people, a 37-yearold man and a 15-yearold boy, were arrested at a nearby address on suspicion of possession of a firearm. Both have been released under investigation and no-one was
injured during the isolated incident.”
Councillor
Tegwen
Devichand, leader of Llanelli Rural Council, stated that she abhorred any behaviour that puts employees and members of the public at risk. She also confirmed that there was no damage to headstones.