The Amsterdam Police Unit has confirmed an ongoing robbery turned hostage situation occurring at the Apple Store located in Leidseplein. In a message posted to Twitter, the Amsterdam Police said that there is a “hostage situation” at the Apple Store, but that it is not sharing any further details at this time “for the safety of those involved.”
This situation has been ongoing for over two hours, with the robbery first being reported at 5:40 pm local time. Local media reports indicate that the incident began with an armed robbery, but eventually turned into a hostage situation with one person being held at gunpoint.
Videos and images posted to social media show a massive police presence at the Apple Store, which is located in Leidseplein. Police have advised people in the area to shelter in place and to avoid sharing any additional video and imagery on social media for the time being. Buildings in the immediate vicinity of the Apple Store have been evacuated.
The latest statement from the Amsterdam Police Unit (translated) is below:
In the Apple Store on Leidseplein there is currently still a hostage situation. For the sake of the safety of data subjects, we are reluctant to share information.
We would like to ask people with a view of the Apple Store building to be cautious about publishing images or live streams, for the safety of those involved and our police efforts.
Amsterdam Police added in a followup tweet posted in English that it is “not able to share information about the situation and/or actions taken by the police” to “ensure the safety of all people involved.” Apple has not commented on the situation.
You can learn more in local news coverage from sources like NOS, AT5, iCulture, and De Telegraf. We will update this story as the situation progresses.
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