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By Humphrey Carter ARMED Palma police were involved in a potentially dangerous hostage drama at a luxury chalet in the hills of Son Roqueta on friday afternoon. The alarm was raised at 3.15pm when the 061 emergency number received a call reporting that a heavily armed man was acting suspiciously on an estate in Can Binimelis in the mountains of Son Roqueta near La Vileta on the northern outskirts of Palma. Three Palma Local Police armed rapid response units raced to the scene backed up by a number of motorcycle units and 061 emergency staff and medics. When the first police arrived, the 32-year-old masked suspect was positioned behind a wall on the terrace with the police in his gun sights and warning the police not to enter the property. As extra police arrived, they surrounded the chalet and secured the area before opening up negotiations with the hostage taker. Police managed to ascertain that the alleged hostage was quite probably the young man's father and that the 32-year-old was apparently under the effects of drugs. Fortunately, the armed stand off lasted just a few minutes before the suspect laid down his arms and was swooped on by armed police and bundled into the back of a police van. Officers snatched the keys to the house from the 32-year-old and stormed the chalet to make sure his father was safe and sound. They found the house empty and his father nowhere to be seen. However, in one of the bedrooms police recovered a small knife and three samurai swords. The police also confirmed that the 32-year-old does however have an arms licence but nevertheless, all the weapons found at the property were seized by the police. Once the 32-year-old was in police custody at Palma Local Police headquarters, his parents were contacted and informed that their son, while in a sound state of health, would be taken to a centre for medical treatment.