Police remain in New Street Folkestone following early morning rooftop disturbance
Published: 13:02, 28 November 2019
Updated: 13:45, 28 November 2019
Detectives remain at the scene following a dramatic early morning robbery which saw 10 people arrested and two removed from a roof.
Three police cars, including a forensics van, can still be found parked in New Street, Folkestone - 12 hours after calls were first made to 999.
Emergency crews, which also included the fire service and National Police Air Service helicopter, descended on the road, near Bradstone Road, at 1am following reports of a robbery and a disturbance at a house.
Two suspects were detained after climbing on to the roof of the property, while others tried to flee the scene.
At one point up to 10 police cars were said to be at the incident, as well as officers armed with Tasers.
Fire crews assisted patrols in getting two men down from the roof.
As the search for those involved continued in the air, people living in neighbouring properties were asked to stay inside their homes.
WATCH: Police make inquiries in New Street, Folkestone
One witness compared the night time seize to sounding 'like World War Three'.
Another said: "We heard a lot of shouting from the police.
"It sounded like they were trying to get someone to come out of the surrounding building, it went on for ages.
"Then officers with shields and firearms also turned up. Then a big van turned up and took someone away."
Someone else said: "I watched the whole thing from start to finish, about four hours. It was scary."
A spokesman for the force said: "Kent Police was called at around 1am on Thursday 28 November 2019to reports of a robbery and disturbance at an address in the Bradstone Road area of Folkestone.
"Patrols and armed officers attended where two men were on the roof of the property and several people attempted to flee the scene.
"Kent Fire and Rescue Service assisted in retrieving the two men from the roof.
"Officers carried out a thorough search of the area supported by the National Police Air Service helicopter.
"Subsequently, 10 people were arrested and enquiries into circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing."
A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "A fire engine and a height vehicle attended and crews assisted in retrieving two men from the roof of a property."
Read more: All the latest news from Folkestone
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Sam Williams