Police helicopter called in to hunt man who tried to swim away from pursuing officers in Manly
A man wanted for assault in Manly jumped into the sea fully clothed and stripped to his undies to try and avoid police.
Manly
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A police helicopter was called into the late night hunt for a man who plunged fully clothed into the surf in a desperate bid to avoid arrest for assaulting staff at a popular northern beaches’ bar.
A Water Police launch also joined the search on Saturday night after the 38-year-old from Seaforth made a swim for it from Manly Beach.
Earlier, about 10.30pm, the man started abusing door staff at the In Situ cocktail bar and restaurant in Sydney Rd after they refused to let him in.
Police said the man then went around to the back entrance, via Henrietta Ln, in an effort to get inside the bar.
But when three staff members blocked his way, he started pushing and shoving the employees and urged them to: “Go on, call the police”.
A Northern Beaches Police Area Command spokesman said when officers arrived at the bar, the man ran off and headed onto The Corso.
“Officers on foot chased him along The Corso, into Darley Rd and then onto Wentworth St,” the spokesman said.
A witness commented on community Facebook page, Manly Living, that they saw at least three officers chasing the man along Wentworth St towards Manly Beach.
The fully-clothed man raced across the sand ahead of the pursuing police and dived into the waves, near Manly Surf Life Saving Club, before swimming towards Shelly Beach.
“While in the water the man has stripped off his shirt, trousers and shoes,” the police spokesman said.
“He swam out of sight of police. The Polair helicopter and Water Police were contacted due to concerns for the man’s safety.”
Witnesses reported seeing the helicopter, using its powerful searchlight, searching in a grid pattern across Cabbage Tree Bay, Shelly Beach and the Shelly Headland.
He was eventually found at about 11.30pm, wearing only his underpants, on Shelly Beach.
The man was arrested and taken to Manly police station. He was later released while police gather statements from bar staff.
Charges are pending.