Rooftop standoff after terrifying carjacking
A 22-year-old man has sparked a six hour rooftop standoff with police after he was allegedly involved in a terrifying carjacking in Adelaide’s north.
South Australia Police said they were called to the intersection of St. Ives Drive and Tamir Road in Parafield Gardens shortly before 2.30am on Thursday following reports two men had allegedly stolen a rideshare driver’s vehicle at knifepoint.
The two suspects allegedly forced the man out of the Toyota sedan, threatening him with a knife before taking off in the vehicle towards Salisbury Highway.
The sedan was tracked using a system installed in the vehicle and was later located by officers on West Ave in Edinburgh, with PolAir able to follow the vehicle as it travelled through the northern suburbs.
The vehicle was dumped on Burton Road, Paralowie before the suspects fled on foot.
One of the offenders then climbed onto the roof in a desperate attempt to evade police, prompting a six-hour standoff with police.
The man wearing grey tracksuit pants, a white jumper and a black face covering sat on top of what appeared to be the roof of a greenhouse while up to six officers surrounded him on nearby rooftops.
Superintendent Julie Thomas said police did not attempt to arrest the man while he was on the rooftop to avoid injury to any of the officers or the alleged offender.
“The suspect in question was reasonably calm, he just did not want to be arrested. The negotiations have occurred for quite some time because we didn’t want the person in question harmed (or) to fall and we didn’t want any of our police officers hurt in an arrest situation,” she said.
Supt Thomas said the presence of officers on the rooftop was to “contain the suspect to the one location” and “ensure safety”.
The Hectorville man was charged with aggravated robbery, dangerous driving to cause a police pursuit and driving while disqualified.
The man did not apply for bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Friday.
The second alleged offender remains on the run.
The rideshare driver was not harmed during the incident.
