The Times of London said four members of the band, their manager and a friend were arrested at gunpoint after a Nov. 21 Staffordshire concert when a security guard said he viewed closed-circuit camera footage and saw a firearm in the group's car.
The six men reportedly were detained overnight, had their fingerprints taken, DNA swabbed and hands tested for firearms residue.
Thirty officers, police dogs and a helicopter reportedly were deployed to the scene for the incident involving the band, which has opened for iconic rock acts like the Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols.
Upon closer inspection, however, the security footage showed only the musicians unloading their equipment and using jumper cables to revive one of their vehicles, the Times said, adding a Staffordshire Police official has since sent each of the men a written apology.
"We clearly got this wrong and I totally accept the sighting of a handgun was a mistake," Assistant Chief Constable Jane Sawyers wrote in the letter, acknowledging a police search of the car turned up no weapons.
Sawyers also promised the musicians their DNA samples and fingerprints would be destroyed.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
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