Woman ‘held captive in own home at gunpoint’ dropped notes to alert passers-by

New South Wales Police in Australia said at about 7.20pm on Saturday emergency services were called to a road in Bonnyrigg to reports a 34-year-old was being held against her will

A woman allegedly held at gunpoint at home raised the alarm with nearby shopkeepers by dropping handwritten notes out the window, say reports.

Police said a man is now due to appear in court charged with firearm and kidnap offences after a loaded gun was found when police forced entry into a home in Bonnyrigg, Australia, overnight.

New South Wales Police said that at about 7.20pm on Saturday emergency services were called to an address on Bonnyrigg Avenue following reports a 34-year-old woman was being held against her will.

Officers swarmed on the area where they were met by the woman who told them she’d managed to escape but that a man was inside allegedly armed with a firearm and a knife.

Soon after police forced their way inside and arrested a 35-year-old man as well as two women, aged 42 and 32.

The Mail Online reports that the woman was rescued after two shopkeepers saw notes that she had dropped before communicating with her through a window.

CCTV footage of the incident showed two men gesturing to the woman to call the emergency services number.

The video then shows riot police walk down the street with a battering ram which they used to break into the house.

Officers say that chemicals and equipment for the manufacture of methylamphetamine were also found inside, while a police dog found a loaded firearm nearby.

All three people found inside were taken to Fairfield Police Station where the man was charged with 11 offences.

The man has been refused bail to appear in court later.

The two women have been released pending further investigation.

The 34-year-old woman suffered arm injuries while inside the area but did not need medical attention.