London’s Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, was thrown into chaos on Sunday morning after a group of men unleashed what police believe was pepper spray during a brazen suitcase robbery in the Terminal 3 multi-storey car park. The incident, which began just after 8 a.m. on December 7, 2025, left 21 people needing medical attention—including a three-year-old girl—and triggered a large-scale emergency response, major transport disruptions, and widespread anxiety among travelers.
According to the Metropolitan Police, officers were called to Terminal 3’s parking garage at 8:11 a.m. local time after reports that multiple people had been assaulted. The assailants, described as a group of four men, allegedly targeted a woman in a car park lift, spraying her and those nearby with a substance believed to be pepper spray while stealing her suitcase. The men then fled the scene, prompting a swift response from armed police and emergency services. “At this stage, it’s understood that a woman was robbed of her suitcase by a group of four men, who sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction. This occurred within a car park lift, with those in the lift and surrounding area affected by the spray,” Commander Peter Stevens of the Metropolitan Police said in a statement reported by The Guardian.
The attack sent shockwaves through the terminal. Tom Bate, a student who had just landed from the US, found himself in the thick of the incident. “Everyone was coughing and looking at each other thinking how weird it was that we were coughing at the same time,” Bate told The Guardian. “There was a burning taste in my throat and there were children there, there were elderly people. A lot of people were exposed to whatever this was.” Bate described seeing three men without luggage running past the lift lobby, followed by a sudden wave of coughing among about 50 people waiting for the lifts. “It felt really terrifying,” he said, recalling how he watched “20 very heavily armed police officers running and looking really quite stricken.”
Emergency services responded rapidly. The London Ambulance Service treated 21 people at the scene, with five—including the young girl—transported to local hospitals. Fortunately, police confirmed that none of the injuries were life-changing or life-threatening. The London Fire Brigade also provided specialist assistance, standing down shortly after 10:30 a.m. The ambulance service left the scene at 10:58 a.m., according to The Guardian.
Amid the confusion, passengers described surreal and alarming scenes. Fin Fraser, who had just arrived from the US, told the BBC that he saw “armed police running around and checking people’s vehicles” as he tried to leave the car park. “When they came to ours, they knocked on our window and told us to wind it down and then they looked inside the car,” Fraser recounted. He called the experience “surreal,” likening it to being “in a James Bond movie.”
The incident caused significant disruption at Heathrow. The car park at Terminal 3 was closed for several hours, reopening by 11:30 a.m., and both the Heathrow Express and parts of the Elizabeth Line were temporarily suspended, as reported by the BBC. Passengers were advised to allow extra time for travel and to check with airlines for updates. Some, like one family interviewed by the PA news agency, waited for hours at bus stops for shuttles that normally run every 15 minutes. Airport staff handed out bottles of water to those stranded by the delays.
Despite the chaos, Terminal 3 remained open throughout, though there was heavy congestion on surrounding roads and a noticeable uptick in police presence. “Our officers responded quickly and there will be an increased police presence at Heathrow Airport throughout the morning to continue inquiries and ensure the safety of those in the area,” Commander Stevens stated, as quoted by The Independent. “We are not treating this incident as terrorism. I understand the public’s concerns and would like to thank those in the area for their cooperation this morning.”
Authorities stressed that the attack was not being investigated as terrorism, but rather as an isolated incident involving individuals believed to be known to each other. “At this stage, we believe the incident involved a group of people known to each other, with an argument escalating and resulting in a number of people being injured,” Stevens explained, according to ABC News. Police arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of assault; he remains in custody as officers continue to search for other suspects. “Our team have been working at pace today to review CCTV from the area and speak with witnesses at the scene,” Stevens added.
Policing minister Sarah Jones offered her support to those affected and praised the emergency services. “My thoughts are with all those affected by the incident at Heathrow this morning. My heartfelt thanks go to the emergency services for their rapid response—and the arrest made. I am being regularly updated on the investigation. Those in the area should follow police advice,” she said in a statement carried by The Independent and The Guardian.
For many at the scene, the ordeal was both frightening and confusing. Witnesses described the moment the spray was released: “As soon as they left people started coughing, and then I started to cough,” Bate recalled to the BBC. “I felt a burning at the back of my throat.” The scale of the response—armed police, ambulances, fire engines—left a lasting impression. Social media footage captured the dramatic moments, including a man being handcuffed and officers searching vehicles.
Heathrow Airport, for its part, worked closely with emergency services to manage the fallout. “Passengers are advised to allow extra time when travelling to the airport and to check with their airline for any queries,” the airport posted on social media. Staff were visible aiding passengers and helping to maintain calm amid the disruption.
While police inquiries continue and the search for additional suspects goes on, officials have urged anyone with information to come forward. The Metropolitan Police have asked witnesses to call 101, quoting CAD 1803 7 DEC.
The events at Heathrow serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in even the most secure public spaces and the importance of rapid, coordinated emergency responses. For those caught up in Sunday’s turmoil, it’s an experience not soon forgotten—but thanks to the swift actions of police, firefighters, medics, and airport staff, the outcome was not as dire as it might have been.
