In a dramatic overnight standoff that gripped Newcastle, a man allegedly threatened to blow up a local Woolworths – only for police to discover remote controls in his bag.
Police swarmed Jesmond Central just before 10pm Tuesday night after the man, believed to be in his 30s, walked into the store claiming he was carrying a bomb. Staff and shoppers were quickly evacuated as emergency services, paramedics, and specialist negotiators raced to the scene.
The siege stretched into the early hours of the morning, with negotiators flown in from Sydney. The tense standoff ended around 5am when the man finally surrendered and was taken into custody at Waratah Police Station.
Shockingly, after a thorough search, police confirmed there was no explosive device – just remote controls inside the suspect’s bag.
The man is expected to appear in Newcastle Local Court today.
👉 Stay with us as we update this developing story throughout the day.