To be worried by a machine gun within a minutes walk of my house?

[ButterpieBride]

My FIL just rang- there has been two police cars opposite his house (round the corner, four doors from me) all day. He has just spotted one policeman has a machine gun.

STOP PRESS now four cars, dogs, police all in flak jackets.

DH has gone to the pub and might walk back that way.

AIBU to be worried? Please tell me Northumbria Police are just a bit jumpy these days...

(Not posted on fb as people on there know my address and I wouldn't want to compromise anything)

I told FIL to stay away from the windows. They seem to be going into a house opposite him.

have some faith in the police sorting it...

Don't worry, you will be perfectly safe....it could be anything....probably just a search.

I have faith, it is just...well, the best laid plans can go wrong, and my retired inlaws are basically sat there in the firing line, my children are asleep in their downstairs bedroom within a minutes run and my DH is at the pub and has a history of being a bit grumpy with the police (they keep asking his name and address at random- he must look dodgy).

Also...well, Raoul Moat started off his rampage very near here too...

if there was any indication that a firearm would need to be discharged then a huge cordon would be set up around the area.

You say the police might be being a bit jumpy?

Well there was an armed robbery round corner from us. it turns out i may have seen the persons responsible when they were casing the joint in the middle of the night several weeks running. I'd rather the gun be in the hands of the cops then some random nut job with intent to do harm.

Then again there is something to be said about a copper in uniform

You're all right, I'm being jumpy :) I just jumped a mile at the sound of next door starting up his motorbike.

Ooh, they have all set off together somewhere. FIL doesn't think they actually went in anywhere here.

They're just justifying the overtime.

Ooh, apparently there is a house on the next estate surrounded! (FIL went to look. Because what they really need is a geordie pensioner nosying about) Apparently there was some form of gangland shooting up the hill last week and they are hunting down the gunman. [nothing ever happens around here emoticon] [guncrime spree emoticon] [would probably get laughed at by sister who lives in Newham emoticon]

Unless your business is in gangland shootings, you needn't worry as you won't be affected.

Are they slowly surrounding your house? Are you, or have you ever been, an international arms dealer with links to ETA et al? Are you a totally innocent Brazilian?

If so, now is the time to start crapping your underwear (see other thread for details).

cops are the best people to be having a machine gun it's when the other side have them you want to worry!

Not been to Europe then? I have a photo of DS1 then about 2 yrs offering his ice cream to a cop in Prague whose machine gun was just shifted out of toddler reach so he could chat.

I wonder how many illegal guns you are actually surrounded with, is probably like the never 6 foot from a rat in London thing.

Honestly, I doubt it was a machine gun but I am not an expert. I think their guns look like machine guns but they're some sort of fast loading rifle thingy .

When I worked in the City during the time of the IRA bombings I'd often walk around a corner and come face to face with a polieman holding a gun. It is unnerving but, really, I'd rather a policeman was holding it than anyone else.

I hate guns though

Morloth, you are so right!!!

just sunday gone another was shot dead 3 minutes from me