74 year old sparks security alert and City Center lockdown

PARTS of Liverpool City Centre were lockdown after a 74 year old entered Silkhouse Court, on Tithebarn Street, at around 10:30am, with a suspect package. Merseyside Police said that:- "Officers were called to a security alert at a business premises in Silkhouse Court, Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, at about 10.30am, on 8 January 2016. We had received reports of a man acting suspiciously and claiming he was in possession of a suspect package." It was later reported that the fire alarm was activated by staff themselves, who then evacuated the building. They then reportedly confirmed that all the people at the premises had been fully accounted for. Police then closed of the roads so, as a direct result all the area around Tithebarn Street is was fully cornered off, around the Junctions at Old Hall Street, Exchange Street East and Bixteth Street. Police at the time added that this was:- "a safety precaution." The Police then used trained negotiators to directly contact the perpetrator, in order to safely resolve the situation. As this happened a bomb disposal team arrived on the scene along with armed Officers. It was report that posts on Twitter, at 11.09am, by staff, who work within the building, that the bomb threat was on the 5th floor. MSB Solicitors Tweeted:- "Apologies to all clients bomb scare on 5th Floor of our Silkhouse Court Office so building evacuated."  The 5th Floor was later reported to be used by Groves, John and Westrup (GJW), who are an insurance company who describe themselves as one of the UK's largest boat insurers. As the afternoon drew on, the man eventually exited the building and was arrested at gun point on:- "suspicion of making threats to kill." After a Police wanted to stress in a statement that:- "No one had been injured during the incident." They also stated:- "Colleagues from the Army's Bomb Disposal Unit had also attended the building to examine the package, which was found to pose no danger to the public." As we publish we have no more information on this news story.

Everyone be safe there is a bomb scare in Liverpool. Pictures by @Bond_media pic.twitter.com/EeYVzAQ3YN

— Mark Byron (@MrMarkByron) January 8, 2016

Appeal issued following robbery at a shop in Bootle

MERSEYSIDE Police Detectives have issued CCTV images of a man they want to trace after cash and cigarettes were reported to have been stolen during a robbery at a shop in Bootle. At 11pm, on Sunday, 3 January 2016, a man armed with a knife entered the News and Booze store on Marsh Lane. Merseyside Police in a press release stated that they believe:- "He demanded that the shop assistant opened the till before taking a quantity of cash, which he put into his coat pockets. The offender then produced a black bin bag and instructed the shop assistant to fill the bag with cigarettes. He then forced the assistant into the rear of the shop and demanded he opened a door allowing access to a second male at the rear of the store. The pair then instructed the shop assistant to open a safe and removed a quantity of cash. Both offenders then made off via the rear of the shop onto Wordsworth Street."

Detectives have issued CCTV images of a man they want to speak to. The 2nd male is described as a white male, approximately 20 to 30 years, of medium build, 6ft tall and dressed all in black. The shop assistant was not badly injured, but was left shaken by their ordeal.  Detective Inspector Tony O'Brien said:- "We would appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity of the shop or saw anyone hanging around Marsh Lane or Wordsworth Street around the time of the robbery to contact us. Thankfully the shop assistant wasn't badly hurt, but we are determined we will find the people responsible for the robbery."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Merseyside Police on:- 0151 777 3059 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on:- 0800 555 111.