WAR munitions discovered this morning at a home in Bicester may have been plundered by illegal metal detecting at heritage sites.

A 35-year-old man is currently being held by police on suspicion of theft from heritage and protected sites after the raid on a home in Buckingham Crescent this morning.

Part of the street has been sealed off as army bomb disposal experts and police search the property.

Police have said one controlled explosion had taken place and more are due to take place later today.

The raid on the property was sparked by yesterday’s discovery of a large number of firearms and explosives at a property in St Albans.

Ch Supt Amanda Pearson said a number of First and Second World War munitions had been found but police were still trying to determine how much there was.

It was suspected, police added, the munitions came from illegal metal detecting at heritage sites.

A spokeswoman added: “It is a criminal offence to retrieve artefacts from the ground through using a metal detector if the land is a protected site or without permission of the landowner.”

Mrs Pearson added: “Controlled explosions are planned to take place in order to safely remove artefacts and munitions found at the address.

 “These controlled explosions pose no threat to the general public. As a precaution we have evacuated a few properties in close proximity.

“The seizure will take some time to process all the items recovered. We have experts in place to deal safely with the items recovered.”

A loud explosion was heard coming from the house at about 1.30pm.

One resident said his wife could see army personnel "digging in the garden and looking in the shed".

He added: "The army have been all over the garden and my wife just told me that forensics have turned up.

"We have been asked if we can put sandbags in the garden."

Yesterday there was a large haul of firearms and ammunition from the two world wars recovered when police raided a home in Windmill Avenue, St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Police were executing a search warrant in connection with the theft of heritage artefacts and munitions from the two wars.

Detective Sergeant Pete Frost, of Herfordshire Constabulary, said today: “I can confirm that the Thames Valley incident is linked to our (Hertfordshire Constabulary’s) investigation and the warrant that was executed yesterday in St Albans.

"Our investigation is on-going and officers still remain at the address in St Albans whilst the search continues.”

Jason Bennett, who lives in Buckingham Road opposite the junction to Buckingham Crescenet, said a friend posted on Facebook that she had told to leave her home just after 9am.

She posted about two hours later she had seen an Army explosives robot go into a house.

Another resident, Maciej Ogrodnik, added: "There are about six or seven police cars and they won't let anyone go into the road apart from residents.

"They haven't told us there is a bomb or anything."

Two other neighbours said police first arrived at about 6am.

Sandbags were delivered to the area at about 11.30am and an Army bomb disposal van and sniffer dog have also recently arrived.

A spokesman for the Army confirmed it was the police who had asked for an explosive ordnance device team from the Royal Logistics Corp to attend the incident.

Mark Harrison, National Policing and Crime Advisor for English Heritage said: "The practice of illegal metal detecting or stealing artefacts from the ground, particularly from conflict sites relating to the First and Second World Wars, is an issue that English Heritage takes very seriously.

"We recognise that the majority of the metal detecting community comply with the laws and regulations relating to the discovery and recovery of objects from the land. We are prepared to take action and do what is necessary including, working alongside the police, to bring those responsible to justice.”

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