Fugitive's rooftop escape attempt

GEORGE Street ground to a halt yesterday when a fugitive climbed onto a roof in an attempt to escape police.

Both ends of the road were sealed off, at the Pozition nightclub and Bond Street, after the man was spotted on rooftops.

He is believed to have scaled the building around 4am yesterday but was brought down safely soon after 9am.

Matt Lapping, the owner of street tattoo parlour Creative Vandals, said he heard the man was cornered by police early in the morning and scrambled onto the roof in an effort to escape.

Mr Lapping said: "It was full-on weird.

"We got to the end of the street before work and it was all taped off.

"It was quite quiet – the police were at both ends directing people around."

A negotiator was called in to talk to the man while he was standing on the roof of Browns bookstore.

He had also been on neighbouring rooftops.

It is understood the man was not threatening to harm himself.

A large crowd had gathered to watch as the drama unfolded while people headed through the city to work until police officers, aided by firemen, brought the man down from the roof.

He was seen limping into a waiting ambulance, where he was treated for minor injuries.

Despite the police cordon, most businesses on the street were open by 9.30am.

Paul Johnson, a manager at Quattro Recruitment, said his offices were able to open as usual.

He said: "It didn't have any effect on us at all – he came down shortly after we opened up.

"We were able to get into work easily because we have a back door entrance."

Mr Lapping said the fugitive had created a stir.

He said: "I think everyone has been talking about it.

"We had a few messages on Facebook this morning saying people had gone past the shop and somebody was on the roof.

"We weren't really sure what to expect when we got to work."

As the Mail went to press, the man was under arrest and was still being questioned by officers.