Kalashnikov, grenade launcher and machine gun seized in mass street brawl

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Kalashnikov, grenade launcher and machine gun seized in mass street brawl

Machine gun, grenade launcher and Kalashnikov seized as 32-year-old and 41-year-old men arrested on suspicion of firearms offences in Bromley, south-east London

AK47 rifle Photo: ALAMY

By Luke Heighton
5:28PM GMT 25 Jan 2015

A Kalashnikov assault rifle, a rocket propelled grenade launcher and a Second World War machine gun were seized by armed police after a street brawl involving ten men in south London.

Police were alerted when the fight broke out in East Street, Bromley around 4.30am this morning.

A CCTV officer saw one of the men brandishing the assault rifle but the time officers arrived the men had ran away.

But the operator was able to direct officers to a nearby home in Market Square and armed police stormed it and arrested five men.

The weapons were deactivated on two of the men aged 32 and 41 were arrested on suspicion of firearms offences and are being quizzed by detectives.

Scotland Yard said: "Even if weapons are not capable of firing the presence of firearms in a public place causes panic and fear of violence..

"The collaborative effort between Bromley Borough officers, CCTV operators, and Specialist Firearms Command officers has lead to three firearms being seized and the arrest of two men.

"At around 4.30am on Sunday morning police were called to reports of a fight involving a group of what was believed to be around 10 men, in East Street, Bromley.

"As officers were attending CCTV operators observed that one man appeared carrying what looked like an assault rifle, and a sergeant attending the scene was alerted similarly by a member of the public.

"The group fighting had dispersed upon arrival of officers at the scene, but using CCTV the man with the suspected firearm was traced to a nearby address in Market Square, Bromley.

"Firearms officers entered the address and five men were arrested and three weapons seized.

"The weapons were an AK-47 style assault rifle, a WWII machine gun and a rocket launcher/rocket propelled grenade (RPG).

"Following examination by firearm specialists it was established that the weapons are incapable of firing and have been decommissioned.

Two of the men arrested, aged 32 and 41, and were taken into custody at a south London police station on suspicion of firearms offences. They remain in custody at this time.

"Detectives from Bromley Borough's CID are investigating and enquiries continue."