Delivery driver forced at gunpoint to take object to police station

A delivery driver in Northern Ireland was forced at gunpoint to drive his vehicle to a police station sparking a major security alert, a senior police officer has said.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the force’s specialist terrorism unit were leading the investigation into the incident in Lurgan, Co Armagh on Monday night.

The white Audi at the centre of the alert was abandoned at Church Place close to the police station, sparking a significant security operation with roads closed and residents of nearby homes evacuated.

The incident has been condemned by political representatives across the spectrum, including Secretary of State Hilary Benn and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly as a “reckless act of violence”.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has suggested dissident republicans may be responsible.

The roads in the centre of the town reopened later on Tuesday morning, and residents were able to return to their homes, while the white Audi was taken away at around 11am.

A cordon at the front gate of the police station was removed at around midday following a final finger-tip search of the front section by a number of officers.

Posting on the social media platform X, Mr Benn said: “I utterly condemn the reckless act of violence overnight in Lurgan directed at the police, which forced dozens of families from their homes and put people’s lives at risk.

“There is no place for this in NI, and those responsible must be held to account.”

Ms Little-Pengelly also condemned the incident, which she described as “deeply disturbing and serve no purpose other than to endanger lives and hold society back”.

“I want to place on record my sincere gratitude for the police officers who responded with speed, professionalism, and courage in dealing with this incident, and thinking too of those threatened in this incident,” she said.

“This incident has also caused significant disruption to local residents, and undoubtedly fear and concern through the night. Thinking of all those resident, employees and others impacted.

“I would appeal to anyone with information about the incident to bring it to the PSNI immediately.”

The alert began around 10.30pm on Monday night.

Mr Henderson told the BBC: “At about 10.30pm last night, a fast food delivery driver was driving their white Audi car in the Deramore Drive area of Kilwilkie in Lurgan.

“The driver, in a terrifying development, was forced to stop their vehicle and threatened at gunpoint, and then the hijackers placed an object inside the vehicle and that driver was then forced and threatened to drive the vehicle to Lurgan police station.”

Mr Henderson said the officer drove to the station and then alerted police.

He added: “Since then there has been a really significant policing operation which we have been coordinating overnight to make sure the car and the contents of the car were secure and safe.

“That has led to the evacuation of a number of homes in the area.

“Clearly an absolutely terrifying ordeal to the poor man who was forced to drive the car, hugely disruptive and distressing event for the local community in Lurgan.

“Our specialist terrorism investigation unit have been leading the investigation into it.”

Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long has described it as a “shameful and dangerous attack”

“There is absolutely no place for this utterly reckless and abhorrent behaviour,” she said.

“I would like to commend the police officers who responded quickly and professionally to this incident and my thoughts are also with all those who have been caught up by this despicable attack.”

Ms Lockhart said it was a “very serious incident”.

She added: “It cannot be understated the seriousness of it, but the resolve of this community against these individuals has been something else and I want to reassure the community that we will continue to call it out.

“I want to assure them they can come forward to the PSNI, they can report anything they have seen.

“These individuals are pathetic, they need to be apprehended by the police and to face the full rigours of the law.”

Asked who she thought was responsible, the DUP MP said: “My understanding is that it is dissident republicans, they are small in number.

“There is a small nucleus that want to drag this place back.

“This screams of the past, it is like something you may have reported on years ago.

“It is not wanted, we have seen widespread disruption, we have seen business impacted, people put out of their homes and that is not what we want in 2026.”

Sinn Fein MLA John O’Dowd said: “Police have now confirmed a suspicious object was placed in a vehicle which was left outside Lurgan police station.

“The actions of those involved stand in stark contrast to the scenes in Lurgan only two weeks ago when thousands gathered to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, with a parade and family fun day.

“Those scenes of joy and hope are what Lurgan and its people are about.

“Those behind this morning’s actions represent no one but themselves, and stand isolated from the community.

“Progress will not be stymied by these people, Lurgan will continue to move forward.

“I want to once again thank all those who helped and offered shelter to those families who were out of their homes as a result of this alert.

“And I want to offer my solidarity to the van driver who went through a terrifying experience.”

Alliance Party deputy leader Eoin Tennyson said his thoughts were with all those who had been impacted.

He said: “The kind of panic, trauma and disruption caused by this attack is a stark reminder of the dark days of our past, days we will not allow ourselves to be dragged back to by those who only stand to cause our communities harm.”

SDLP leader Claire Hanna said: “It was a completely reckless act and we could have been waking up to a very different situation today.”