Man detained for 13 hours after Lara Croft 'incident'
Tuesday, 27 May 2008 19:20
The lesson is clear - Lara Croft is a dangerous woman to take home with you
A Manchester man was detained for 13 hours after police mistook his plastic Lara Croft mannequin for a gunman, which he had taken home to sell on eBay.
Computer shop owner David Williams, 42, had taken the dummy home to sell it but, after phoning the police to complain about receiving nuisance phone calls from local thugs, the police were suspicious of Lara's silhouette in the window.
They called for armed backup and the street was quickly cordoned off, before officers entered the premises through the back door.
"It would have been laughable if it hadn't been so terrifying," the shop owner said. "One of the police held a gun and yelled, 'Where's the weapon, where's the weapon?
"I didn't have a clue what was going on, I assumed they'd got the wrong house. I couldn't believe it when I realised they'd mistaken a Lara Croft dummy for someone with a gun."
Mr Williams was detained in a cell for 13 hours, before being charged with a firearms offence. Conspiracy to pilfer tombs and murder animals were crimes not attributed to Mr Williams.
The beleaguered shop owner is now on bail and speaking to lawyers about a possible claim for wrongful arrest.