Shirtless Climber Spotted Atop Electrical Tower

From City News Service

A man in his 40s climbed a North Hollywood electrical tower Friday, stripped off his shirt and kept police, fire and utility crews at bay for four hours before he was coaxed down and arrested for suspicion of possession of stolen goods and trespassing.

The unidentified man began climbing the tower near Denny Avenue and Whitnall Highway about 4:20 p.m., said Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Ernest Fischer, watch commander at the North Hollywood Station.

The tower remained electrified when the man climbed it. The Department of Water and Power eventually rerouted the power.

Members of a LAPD SWAT unit aboard a DWP cherry picker eventually persuaded the man to come down around 9 p.m. by offering him a blanket, CBS2 reported.

"I don't yet know why the man climbed up on the tower and took off his clothes," Fischer said.

The man was being booked late tonight for one felony count of receiving stolen goods, Fischer said, adding he didn't know what were the stolen goods.

"The items were taken from a recent car burglary in the area," Fischer said.

CBS2 reported the man was also being booked on a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass.