KEY POINTS:
A man being questioned by police ran to the top floor of the police station and jumped from a balcony to escape.
The Daily Post understands the man was being interviewed on the second floor of the Whakatane station when he was left alone for a few seconds on Tuesday afternoon.
He quickly slipped out of the room, went up one flight of stairs, made his way through the station's tearoom and out the double doors on to the building's top level.
Once on the balcony he jumped approximately 5m, landing on the cell block roof before shimmying down a conifer tree and high-tailing it along Pyne St.
After a 10-minute search and chase the man was caught by police and taken back to the station.
The man, who had not been arrested when he took off, has not been charged with escaping from the station.
Detective Sergeant Ross Everest had no comment.
- DAILY POST
