Fundraiser left shaken as armed police smash door
ACHARITY collector returned home to find that armed police had smashed his front door open to look for guns while he was out raising money for guide dogs.
Officers used a battering ram to get into Mark Calvin’s home following reports of a “domestic dispute”.
But he only learned of the massive police operation around his house in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, when a neighbour approached him after he’d spent the day 40 miles away in Welshpool collecting cash for Guide Dogs UK.
Mr Calvin, whose partner was also away when police broke in, said: “I am a bit shaken up. The police battered down my door as they believed that there were firearms in the house.
“It turned out to be misinformation and they have exonerated me of any wrongdoing.”
He added: “I only found out because I was in a car park and my neighbour said the police had broken into my house.
“I walked up and was directed to speak to an officer behind the cordon.”
Police were called to the town’s Eldon Square at about 11am on Wednesday after somebody reported a “domestic dispute” in a flat.
Witnesses told of hearing a loud bang – with some suggesting it sounded like a gunshot – before police arrived.
Officers searched the property but the flat’s occupants could not be found, and police began looking for them.
Part of the town was cordoned off as officers wearing body armour and carrying riot shields and tear gas canister launchers searched the streets. A specialist dog unit was put on standby.
At around 3.30pm officers smashed the door of Mr Calvin’s property in nearby Smithfield Square.
In a statement after the incident, police said “evidence of firearms” had been found at the flat in Eldon Square, but there was an innocent explanation and no-one was injured.
Mr Calvin said that despite the damage to his property he does not blame the police for breaking in.
He said: “The police have been very apologetic and have promised they will make good the damage.
“My solicitor actually caught the whole thing on camera and you can see that the police did spend some time knocking on the door. What else could they have done in the situation?”
Superintendent Nick Evans said: “The incident was reported to us in good faith by a member of the public who feared someone had been harmed.”