Two men have been arrested in rural England in what is being described as a plot to rob and murder the 24 year old pop singer, Joss Stone.
Stone, who has sold more than 10 million albums, lives in the South West of England, in the county of Devon. Her home is a countryside house, in the Cullompton area.
Police were tipped off by locals in the area who had seen two men acting suspisiously in a red Fiat Punto car, who, according to Sky News, upon inspection had in their possession maps and aerial photgraphs of Joss Stone’s home, as well as, ropes, swords and a body bag.
The two men were arrested at the scene on the morning of Monday, 13th June 2011, and are currently being questioned.
According to the Devon & Cornwall police:
Police attended an address in Cullompton on Monday morning, 13 June 2011, after alert residents notified officers about a suspicious looking vehicle.
Officers attended the area at around 10am and subsequently arrested the occupants of a red Fiat Punto.
A 30 year-old man was arrested for driving whilst disqualified, possession of an offensive weapon and going equipped to burgle/steal. A second man, aged 33 was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon and going equipped to burgle/steal.
Both men are from the Manchester area.
As a result of enquiries the two men are now being detained for the further offences of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to murder. Major crime detectives are continuing to investigate.
In a statement, the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Inspector Steve Parker, confirmed that the men had been found in possession of “information relating to an individual in the Cullompton area and items which lead us to suspect that they may have intended to commit a criminal offence.” He also thanked “the local residents for reporting the suspicious car.”
The Devon & Cornwall police have not officially linked singer Joss Stone with the arrests.