TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of theft after anti-tank munitions were stolen from a freight train while it was parked in sidings at Warrington’s Bank Quay Station.
All of the outstanding munitions have now been safely recovered.
Both arrests were made shortly after 11pm last night, Sunday. A 29-year-old man was arrested in Birkenhead by the North-West Counter Terrorism Unit and a 31-year-old man was arrested in Sheffield by officers from the North-East Counter Terrorism Unit. Both remain in custody.
The MoD-owned munitions were on a train when it left Longtown in Cumbria at approximately 11.30am on Wednesday 24 October 2012.
Ten packages, each containing four separate plastic cases, were initially reported stolen to the British Transport Police, shortly after 7.30am on Thursday 25 October when the train arrived at Didcot, Oxfordshire.
Seven of the packages were found near a railway line in the Folley Lane area of Warrington, Cheshire, following extensive and targeted searching by dedicated police search teams.
The three outstanding packages, which are made up of a total of 12 plastic cases, were safely recovered by specially trained Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officers from an address in Birkenhead.
As part of ongoing enquiries led by the North-West Counter Terrorism Unit, a number of addresses in Birkenhead and Sheffield are being searched.
This co-ordinated investigation, which remains ongoing, also includes the Metropolitan Police Service, British Transport Police and MoD.
Officers are still appealing for information and anyone who can help is asked to call police on 0161 856 1027 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Two arrested over Bank Quay munitions theft
00 Comments
Share.
About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
