Update: Police hunt man, 20, who escaped after Dagenham swoop arrested two
Police are looking for Jake Baker. - Credit: Archant
Police are hunting a man who evaded them following a sting operation.
Flying squad officers swoop and make two arrests in Dagenham Road, Dagenham. Pic: Robert White. - Credit: Robert White
Armed police swooped on an address in Oldchurch Gardens, near to Dagenham Road, Dagenham, at around 6pm, last Wednesday believing Jake Baker — who is wanted by Essex Police in connection with an armed robbery — to be there.
Armed officers make their approach. Pic: Robert White. - Credit: Archant
Two men were arrested after police descended, but 20-year-old Baker evaded officers and is still at large.
Flying squad officers swoop and make two arrests in Dagenham Road, Dagenham. Pic: Robert White. - Credit: Robert White
Road block
Flying squad officers swoop and make two arrests in Dagenham Road, Dagenham. Pic: Robert White. - Credit: Robert White
Nearby residents were told to stay in their homes during the operation, which included assistance from borough police and the Met helicopter and reportedly lasted for about two hours.
Father-of-two Suki Jhita, 42, of Rush Green Road, returned from shopping to be told he could not return home. He said: “I couldn’t get back to my house so I called my wife and told her to lock all the doors and just stay undercover. Lots of people were stuck and ended up in the pub.”
Witnesses reported seeing a large number of marked police cars, some of which formed a road block in nearby Rush Green Road and Lincoln Avenue, they claimed.
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An onlooker, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It was quite intense because they were obviously looking for someone.
“As I was walking past I saw someone who had cuffs on and had been arrested.”
He added: “It’s normally quite quiet down here.”
Police allege that Baker held up a Ladbroke’s betting shop in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, with what appeared to be a black handgun on Sunday September 22.
He then threatened staff and made off with more than £3,000 in cash, but no-one was hurt, said Essex Police.
Members of the public should not approach Baker and are urged to call 999 or Essex Police on 101 if they have any information as to his whereabouts.
Enquiries are ongoing.
