Chatham High Street was closed by police on Thursday after a suspected shoplifter tried to avoid capture by climbing on to a shop roof.

The man, in his mid twenties, scaled an empty building at about 1pm.

Officers apprehended the man and arrested him under suspicion of shoplifting.

Police believe he may have damaged a chimney stack and closed a section of the road for public safety.

A safety inspection of the stack was carried out before re-opening.