Two teenagers arrested after large chair is thrown from third floor of busy UK shopping centre
Two teenagers have been arrested after a video showing a large chair being thrown over a third floor balcony and narrowly missing shoppers in a busy shopping centre.
Originally recorded on Snapchat, the shocking video shows a teenager lifting up part of a large chair in Westfield Stratford shopping centre, London, near Bath and Body Works, and chucking it over the balcony.
The chair then crashes onto the ground floor, narrowly missing shoppers walking by.
"No way bro almost killed someone," the caption from the original video read.
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The clip has since gone viral after being shared onto X and TikTok, with many horrified users pointing out that the chair would've caused serious injuries had it landed on someone.
Inspector Dan Window, from the Stratford Neighbourhood Policing Team, told the Evening Standard: "The seating was reported to have narrowly missed members of the public below; fortunately there were no injuries."
"People could have easily died," wrote one person in response to the footage, while a second commented: "That could have killed someone. Surely the police can trace this footage."
"If there was a mother and a pram with her baby underneath then no one survives that," a third added.
Watch the horrifying footage below:
The Metropolitan police has now confirmed that two teenagers, aged 14 and 16, have since been arrested over the video and are being held on suspicion of criminal damage.
"@MPSNewham have arrested a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy following an incident that saw a heavy seat thrown from the third floor at @westfieldstrat shopping centre on Saturday, 1 March," Newham police confirmed on X.
"They have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and remain in custody."
Stretford and Bow MP Uma Kumaran has also reacted to the incident, sharing a statement on social media revealing that she had requested an 'urgent meeting' on how steps can be taken to keep people living in the borough safe.
"I am appalled by the shocking and distressing videos circulating of an incident in Westfield Stratford which put lives at risk," she said on X.
"I have requested an urgent meeting with Newham's Borough Commander on the action they are taking to find the perpetrators, increase visible policing patrols and keep our community safe."
Going on to add that she has also raised concerns with City Hall and London's Deputy Mayor for Policing, Kumaran stressed the importance of taking back 'town centres from the thieves and the thugs' and that 'tough action will be taken against crime and antisocial behaviour'.
"Stratford is one of the busiest parts of London and Westfield is Europe's largest shopping centre - we cannot allow lawless behaviour and must clamp down on the perpetrators," she added.
"Everyone who lives in and visits Stratford must feel safe and be safe - I will continue to press for this at every level."
Newham police has also urged anyone with further information to reach out via police ref: CAD 5623/04Mar or anonymously on 0800 555 111 and http://crimestoppers-uk.org
Brenna Cooper