Dramatic crime spree in Adelaide’s inner southern suburbs

A man who’d allegedly embarked on an inner southern suburbs crime spree demanded a “chief negotiator” as well as cigarettes and water during a tense rooftop stand-off with police overnight.

The crime spree allegedly began with this crash. Picture: Mike Brown

A man who’d allegedly embarked on an inner southern suburbs crime spree demanded a “chief negotiator” as well as cigarettes and water during a tense rooftop stand-off with police overnight.

The saga began when the man allegedly crashed a stolen car and then attacked a good Samaritan who came to his aid.

Just after 3am on Sunday, a Ford Laser — which was later discovered to have been stolen from Gepps Cross earlier in the night — smashed into a stationary vehicle and some rubbish bins on Caulfield Avenue, Cumberland Park.

Another motorist who saw the crash stopped to help but the Ford driver instead jumped into the witness’ Toyota Starlet, assaulted him, threatened him with a knife and forced him out before taking off with the car.

The 50-year-old male victim sustained facial injuries and was taken to the Flinders Medical Centre for treatment.

Crows badges were among the items allegedly stolen. Picture: Dean Martin/AAP

The stolen Toyota Starlet was then spotted at Edwardstown just before 4am and police followed it for a short time before it disappeared in backstreets.

About half an hour later, a homeowner called police to their Leah St, Forestville home after finding someone in their front yard.

In responding to that incident, officers found the Toyota Starlet in nearby Charles St and the male suspect was seen jumping over back fences.

Police chased him on foot before cordoning off the area and calling in a police dog to assist.

The suspect then climbed onto the roof of a Leah St house and refused to come down.

Police negotiated with him for about 30 minutes before he came down and was arrested.

Items strewn around the scene in the Forestville. Picture: Dean Martin

Leah St resident Anna Robey, 49, said she heard footsteps running and police yelling as she realised a man was on her neighbour’s roof.

“They did a good job to get him down — it’s quite steep roof,” she said.

Mrs Robey’s son Samuel, 14, said the suspect was making demands while on the roof.

“He was saying stuff like he wanted some water,” he said.

He was “just being difficult”, Mrs Robey said.

Another neighbour told The Advertiser the man was asking for water, cigarettes and a “chief negotiator”.

Mrs Robey said her husband’s car was also damaged during the ordeal.

“I think he threw a brick from the neighbour’s chimney,” she said.

Residents in Caulfield Avenue, Cumberland Park — where the initial crash occurred — say they were shocked such an incident occurred in their usually quiet street.

Resident Mike Brown, 50, heard the smash and went outside to investigate.

“(The man) said police were on their way (but) I wasn’t sure about that — He seemed a bit suss, so I went back inside and got my phone,” he said.

When he went back outside another neighbour told him they’d called police and so he began taking pictures of the smash because his friend’s car was the stationary vehicle involved.

“I said ‘where are you going? I’ve got you on camera, I’ve got your car on camera’ … and all he said to me was ‘don’t be a snitch, don’t be a snitch’,” he said.

Mr Brown said he did not see an altercation between the man and the driver of the vehicle that arrived shortly afterwards, and they left together, reversing up the street.

A neighbour’s car was damaged when the man on the roof allegedly threw a brick. Picture: Dean Martin/AAP

However, he said the car stopped about 150m along the road and he could hear a verbal argument break out.

“I could just hear yelling and carrying on,” he said.

The stationary car belonged to the partner of Mr Brown’s housemate.

Mauricio Herrera, 30, said it was lucky the suspect only hit a car and not a person.

“I don’t think he has much regard (for others),” he said.

“(He should) think a little bit more about his family.”

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was woken by a “really loud bang” and then discovered there had been a crash and called police.

“The guy got out of the car and was throwing what looked like rubbish bags (into a yard),” she said.

“He looked like he was all over the place and he kept going back to the car.”

The neighbour said another car arrived and the man began piling the rubbish bags into that vehicle before getting in.

“They reversed 100 miles an hour down the street and I thinking ‘god, they’re going to smash into other cars’,” she said.

“It scared the living daylights out of me.”

The 31-year-old suspect, of no fixed address, is being interviewed by police and is expected to be charged with aggravated robbery, illegal use of a motor vehicle and several driving offences.

He will be refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.