What has happened in Dewsbury: Murder investigation launched in Batley, man arrested in Dewsbury and police looking for two people who may be hurt as streets expected to be sealed off 'for rest of the day'
A young woman has died in Batley and a man has been arrested as police continue to seal off several Dewsbury streets.
The B6409 Wilton Street, Mill Street East, Mill Street West, near ASDA, in Dewsbury have all been taped off since late last night.
Detectives now say they have launched a murder investigation following the death of the woman in Batley.
And they are also looking for two more people – a man and a woman – who they believe could be hurt.
Police say they were called to reports of an armed robbery at ASDA in Dewsbury at 9.21pm yesterday.
They arrested a man and seized a knife.
While in custody, the arrested man disclosed to officers that a woman – who he believed to be dead – was inside a house on Norfolk Street in Batley.
When officers went there, they found the body of a woman who they believe was in her 20s.
Formal identification is yet to take place.
The 37-year-old man who had been arrested in connection with the alleged robbery at ASDA, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder.
Police say their initial enquiries suggest there are potentially two other people – a man and a woman – “who may have come to harm”.
Enquiries are ongoing in Dewsbury to try to find them.
As part of these enquiries, there is ongoing policing activity in the town centre, near to the River Calder and in Westtown.
Senior investigating officer, T/Detective Chief Inspector Dan Bates, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “This is clearly a very serious incident, where a young woman has lost her life.
“There is a heightened police presence in Dewsbury today as we work to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident.
"Our immediate priority is to identify and locate the two people and establish whether or not they have come to any harm.
“A murder investigation is also underway and we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public at this time.
“We recognise this inquiry will cause concern in the community. We are working closely with our colleagues in the local neighbourhood policing team, who have stepped up patrols in the town centre.
“I would like to appeal to anyone who may have information that would assist to come forward and speak to us.
"We are also looking for any CCTV, doorbell and dash cam footage people might have to help our investigation.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or via the live chat options at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/contactus quoting crime reference 13250426256.
Information can also be given anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Kirklees Council has asked people to avoid the area of the police cordon and said it expects the street closures to be in place for “at least the rest of today”.
Arriva has posted that some of its buses will be running different routes because of the “major police incident”.
It has posted: “Due to a major police incident in Dewsbury, there is no access to Saville Road, Mill Street and the vicinity of Asda.
"Due to this all 280 services will be affected.
"All 280 Services from Dewsbury will start service at Saville Road at the junction with Mill Street and run full service in both directions to Thornhill until further notice.”