Armed police swooped on a car park in Elland resulting in six arrests.
The drama unfolded at South Lane, at around 12.20pm today when two cars and a van pulled in to Brooks Mill Car park and were surrounded by police carrying out the pre-planned operation.
Six men were arrested from the vehicles on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery and are currently in custody.
Shocked shoppers at a nearby Aldi store and office workers watched the scenes unfold on the waste land adjacent to the former Elland fire station.
A number of them phoned police saying they had heard shots fired.
But police have confirmed no shot were fired but the sound was from other ‘tactics’ used as part of their arrests.
A woman who works nearby and saw the incident, said: “Two cars and a van pulled up. I heard shots fired.
“At first I thought police were just doing a drill but then realised it was real but it looked like something out of a film.
“There were at least 10 armed police with their faces covered. They shouted at the drivers to get out of the vehicles and put their hands out.
“They did so and they handcuffed them and took them off.
“I am still shaking. It’s not something you expect to see.”
Det Chief Insp Darren Minton, of Calderdale Police, said: “We received a number of calls from members of the public reporting shots being fired in the vicinity and I would like to reassure residents that no firearms were discharged during this operation.
“The sounds were as a result of tactics used in the arrest of these individuals.
“Officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team will be will be conducting additional reassurance patrols in the area.”
A large part of the area around South Lane remained cordoned off as police continued their investigations.
