Police manhunt as nine-hour stand-off suspect ‘flees through next …

Police are tonight still hunting for a man who barricaded himself in a house during a nine-hour stand-off - after he apparently 'fled through next door's loft'. A number of police officers armed with shields were stationed on Nash Peake Street, in Tunstall^[1], yesterday as specialist negotiators were brought in.

But the suspect somehow managed to leave the property. It resulted in Staffordshire Police^[2] putting up the force helicopter last night.

Neighbours cannot believe that the man escaped from the police's clutches.

READ: Police called in as escaped cows run riot in Stoke-on-Trent neighbourhood - Officers had to improvise to bring the situation under control^[3]

READ: Girl, 14, and driver die in tragic M53 coach crash - Two other patients have been taken hospital with serious injuries^[4]

Megan Grocott said: "He got through to next door's loft and nobody lives there so he went down the stairs, out of the back door to the back alleyway, got past two coppers, and was last seen going towards Asda."

Chris Chapman added: "He climbed into the loft, got through to next door, and walked straight past the police."

Neighbours were also left amazed by the scale of the emergency response for one man refusing to leave a property.

Maurice Hickson said: "I’ve never seen so many flashing blue lights, police and ambulances. A whole street blocked top to bottom, police standing in groups in the street, and a helicopter overhead. I thought it was at least an armed assault but no it was one guy refusing to come out of a house and we are constantly being told about the lack of resources."

A police spokesman said: "Officers are continuing to search the Stoke-on-Trent area today following an incident on Nash Peake Street. We were called to the address yesterday morning and went to the scene alongside colleagues from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service. A man refused to leave the address and was spoken to by specially-trained negotiators after he barricaded himself inside.

"Later that day, the man managed to escape by getting through to an empty adjoining building. A number of local officers then carried out a thorough search of the area to try to find him. Colleagues from the National Police Air Service also helped with the search efforts, but the man was not located.

"We are continuing to carry out enquiries today and would like to speak to anyone with any information which may be able to help us find him. He is described as white, of a slim build, in his late 30s. and with a clean-shaven head."

Anyone who has seen the man should call the police on 101, quoting incident number 168 of September 28, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

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References

1. ^{^} Tunstall (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Staffordshire Police (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Police called in as escaped cows run riot in Stoke-on-Trent neighbourhood (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Girl, 14, and driver die in tragic M53 coach crash (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
5. ^{^} or click here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)