An armed response vehicle (ARV) was involved in a crash in Swindon town centre today.
Firearms officers were responding to reports of a man armed with a weapon in the Euclid Street area at around 3pm this afternoon (Friday, 16 September).
Three ARVs raced to the scene – including a marked and unmarked white Volvo XC90 and an unmarked black BMW X5.
En route, the unmarked Volvo collided with a red Mazda on Farnsby Street – on a junction linking the route to Milton Road.
Wiltshire Police has confirmed the ARV was not travelling on blue lights at the time.
The occupants of the Mazda, a mother and child, were unharmed in the incident, as were the authorised firearms officers.
The Volvo sustained front-end damage, whilst the Mazda sustained nearside damage.
In relation to the armed suspect search, officers arrested a man on a bicycle near Mannington Recreation Ground in Rodbourne.
The serious incident, which saw the police helicopter tasked, took place near Clarence House, just a stone’s throw from the central police point.
In an earlier statement, the force said: “Officers are currently dealing with a report of an attempted robbery in Swindon town centre.
“We were called to the area near to Clarence House just after 3pm following a report that a suspect was carrying a weapon. Enquiries are currently ongoing.”
