A SUSPECTED burglar who caused a four and a half hour stand-off was at the centre of a police investigation this week.

Officers were forced to shut down Oxford Road on Monday night while police helicopters and specialist dog handling units were also drafted in.

They were called shortly after 10pm to arrest a suspected burglar, but once they launched their search the man fled to a nearby roof.

He then began hurling slates from the roof, on Kensington Road, before police could coax him down and arrested him.

The resident who lives inside the property said: "I heard a loud bang and I woke up. It was about 4am.

"When I opened the door there were loads of police outside and a police helicopter and some dogs.

"The told me to stay inside. He was walking up and down my roof, I don't know how many times.

"He started throwing slates off of the roof."

The shocking incident saw Oxford Road closed off for hours.

After lengthy negotiations, the man was arrested earlier today.

A police spokesman added: "Following the earlier incident, the man involved has now been safely removed from the roof of the property in Kensington Road.

"He has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and is currently in police custody.

"Road closures are in the process of being removed, and we would like to thank the public for their patience during this incident.”

Police confirmed the man was suspected of burglary on a nearby street, and when the burglary went wrong, he fled to the Oxford road area.

The spokesman continued: "Thames Valley Police officers were called last night at about 10pm following reports of a burglary at a property in Southampton Street, Reading.

“Officers attended and located a male suspect.

“Upon attempts to arrest the suspect, he fled to Kensington Road where he gained access to the roof of a property."