A drunk man led police on a dramatic chase across rooftops in central Hastings yesterday, before he was tackled, cuffed and removed using a fire engine ladder.
The man, who told police at the scene he was a 31-year-old from Havelock North, was allegedly intoxicated and damaging cars in the central business district about 4.45pm when concerned onlookers called police.
Hastings Police constable Andy Clinton said when the man saw the patrol car, he tried to escape by running into The Rotten Apple Backpackers. "We received reports of a drunk guy kicking in cars just along Heretaunga Street," he said.
"By the time I caught up with him he saw the car and shot up into the backpackers and a couple of the residents up there had indicated that he locked himself into the bathroom and wouldn't get out."