Fined after hoax hostage claim

A 40-year-old woman reported to a family member that she was being held against her will last Tuesday (12 January) according to Beds police.

This was reported to police who deployed armed response officers to the scene, in order to protect the public and identify and detain offenders.

However, on their arrival, officers discovered there was no such threat and the woman was arrested on suspicion of wasting police time.

She has been fined £90 and issued a Penalty Notice for Disorder.

Head of the Force Control Room Wayne Humberstone said: “This action shows that we do not take hoax calls lightly and anyone who wastes police time will be dealt with robustly.

“There is no excuse for unnecessarily calling officers out, as it wastes valuable resources and could divert service away from someone else genuinely in need.

“Our 999 service is a vital lifeline for the public in an emergency.

“Anyone who wishes to contact us to report crime or speak to us in a non-emergency situation should call us on 101.”