Fugitive climbs pylon then demands chips before making getaway

A fugitive cornered by the police at the top of a 40ft pylon promised to come down if they bought him some chips – but then ran off after eating them. Leigh Grant, 34, a drug dealer on the run from custody, scrambled up the communication tower to escape pursuing officers and threatened to jump if anyone came near. Eventually, with a large crowd and emergency services looking on, trained negotiators persuaded Grant, who was drinking beer, to come down in exchange for a portion of chips. But as the police returned with a £1.45 bag, the takeaway turned to a getaway as Grant dashed off to a waiting car and escaped.

One onlooker said: "He was there with his chips and beer – he seemed quite happy. I can't believe he got away, apparently he told them to move the cars and he'd come down." Grant, from Cannock, Staffs, was jailed last year for 32 months for supplying Class A drugs. He was released on September 13 this year on licence until April, 2013. But Grant became the centre of a manhunt after ripping off his electronic tag – used to monitor his movements – from his leg last month and going on the run.



Police, who had appealed for the public's help in their hunt, eventually cornered him after he had clambered up a 40ft pylon. He was drinking and threatening to jump as three fire engines, ambulances, trained negotiators and a large number of police officers arrived at the scene. He also attracted a large crowd during the four hour stand off. Eventually a compromise was granted – he would come down if officers bought him a portion of chips. A volunteer was duly dispatched to the award winning Pye Green Fish Bar and returned with the chips.

But Grant reneged on the agreement – running off after he told the emergency services to move back – and escaping in a car. Tom Zachariou, 37, assistant manager of the chippy, said: "It was like something from the movies. A large crowd had gathered and police were everywhere. I have never seen anything like it. The bloke was about halfway up, swigging beer. I don't know the bloke involved, but others in the shops round here do – and they don't like him." One seasoned negotiator said it was the most difficult situation he had been involved in. Grant was eventually arrested on Wednesday afternoon.