Suspected trespasser rescued from scaffolding in SW Houston

HOUSTON

It happened around 2am near Caroline and Arbor Place. Police were called to a home under construction after an intruder was spotted on video surveillance. And the scene only got stranger from there.

The bizarre chase happened on construction site scaffolding. Let's just say a high-climbing trespasser was no match for Houston police today.

It was business as usual on Wednesday at a construction site on Caroline, where contractors went back to building a group of townhomes. But in the early morning hours, it was a totally different story.

Police say Dewayne Potts snuck on to the property, climbed the scaffolding and got stuck.

Mike Monsive with the company Cameras On Site said, "These officers had to go through several levels of scaffolding to make the apprehension."

Monsive says he recently installed surveillance systems at the location after copper thieves began targeting the site. He says the arrested man bypassed these posted warnings, triggering the alarms. And the high-climbing pursuit between Potts and the police was all caught on camera.

"This individual ignored all of those warning signs," Monsive said. "He continued on to the property, and was in the process of trying to steal copper from this site."

Investigators say Potts, who is a convicted burglar, was carrying tools as he climbed his way up the scaffolding to the fourth level. When police arrived, two officers trapped him in a corner and handcuffed him.

With no safe way to get back down, police had to call on the fire department for its ladder truck Now Potts is facing charges for criminal trespassing and evading arrest.

Monsive said, "They got another criminal who has a history of doing this off the streets."

The workers say they are thankful police literally went above and beyond to make the arrest.

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