POLICE marksmen raided an address where an armed robbery suspect was believed to be staying.

Armed officers wearing riot gear and carrying shields broke down the door of the flat in Bromley at about 5.30pm yesterday.

The operation was triggered when plain-clothes officers spotted the suspect in Kingsgate Close, St Mary Cray, shortly after 3pm.

Residents were evacuated from their homes and heavy queues built up as nearby roads were closed off for about an hour-and-a-half.

The man, suspected of being involved in an armed robbery in October, is thought to have escaped through the back of the building.

One witness said: "I was just about to take the dog for a walk when I saw loads of officers surrounding the building."