A 32-year-old man has been rescued from a 60-foot tree following a two-hour PSNI operation in west Belfast.
The incident started shortly before 11:15pm on Saturday night after police received reports of two attempted burglaries in the Fruithill and Andersonstown Park West area.
Members of the public gave chase to a suspect who made off in the direction of Kennedy Way.
A short time later police received a 999 call to say a man was trapped in a tree on Kennedy Way. On arrival, the male matched the description of the earlier suspect.
Watch: Emergency services rescue man from tree in west Belfast
Police negotiators, several fire appliances, and police units were sent to the scene.
Shouting from the tree, the male identified himself to a police negotiator before asking for a cigarette.
Police asked onlookers for a cigarette to give to the male; the only person forthcoming was the owner of the house at the centre of the reported attempted burglary moments beforehand. She reluctantly gave police her last cigarette.
Firefighters used an aerial platform to get close to the male, cutting branches obstructing their access.
A police negotiator then helped the male into the basket of the platform where he complained of an injury to his foot.
He was brought to ground level where waiting officers arrested the male.
A man is rescued from a tree in west Belfast on January 19th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, one resident said: “Someone tried to get into my house; I panicked and called the police.
“They came to the area and called me back to say they had reports that he was in the garden of another house in Fruithill
“There were kids in that house; he tried to come through the back door and they were screaming.”
In a statement PSNI Inspector McCullough said: “We initially received a report at approximately 9.10pm on Saturday evening, 18th January of an attempted burglary in the Andersonstown Park West area of the city.
“A short time later, officers received a second report of an attempted burglary at another house in the Fruithill Park area of the city at around 9.45pm.
“It was reported that a suspicious man had tried to enter a house through a window. Further enquiries were made and officers established the suspect had climbed a nearby tree.
“Following a lengthy negotiation, officers alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, brought the man down to safety.
“The 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted burglary and disorderly behaviour.
“Our enquiries are ongoing and we would appeal to anyone with any information, including CCTV footage or who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the areas to contact us on 101, quoting reference number 1502 of 18/01/25.”