A man is in police custody after a rooftop siege brought a Perth neighbourhood to a standstill for more than eight hours.
Officers in riot gear were deployed to Stanley Crescent following reports that a man had clambered on top of a block of flats and was throwing tiles, ranting and swearing. It is understood the stand-off began sometime before 9am.
Witnesses alleged that the man had hurled stones at police and caused extensive damage to a chimney stack.
He was seen sitting on a chimney pot for most of the afternoon, occasionally standing up and flailing around. Crowds of people who had gathered in a car park below gasped in horror whenever he appeared to lose his footing.
Emergency services, including an ambulance incident response unit, were scrambled to the scene after police received a call from a member of the public – believed to be a relative – concerned about the man’s wellbeing.
An area around Stanley Crescent was cordoned off throughout the day while negotiators tried to talk the man down.
Police dressed in riot gear used raised shields as they moved in front of the area of the siege.
Officers were also tasked with fetching medication for locals who were stuck out of their homes and escorting people back to their flats.
At the height of the operation, there were about 13 police vehicles, including six vans and a dog handler unit.
The incident ended just after 5pm, when firefighters placed a ladder at the side of the building where the man had been standing.
Crowds cheered when he began climbing down. He was met on the ground by police in body armour who took him into custody.
A force spokesman said: “We can confirm that the incident at Stanley Crescent, Perth, is over and the road has re-opened.
“As a result of the incident a 24-year-old man has been arrested.”
He added: “We would like to thank members of the public for their patience throughout the course of this incident.”
Crowds gathered at the edge of the cordon throughout the stand-off, despite pleas from police to avoid the area.
The cordoned area was extended after several hours, because police worried the man might start playing up for the crowds.
At one point he was heard saying: “I don’t care if I’m going to be up here all night, and all day tomorrow and the next day.”
It is believed he had climbed out a window of an upstairs flat and scaled a drainpipe to get onto the roof.
