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Vancouver police warn of roof sliding dangers after video posted

The video posted to Instagram in January and recently recirculated on Reddit appears to show a young man sliding down the roof of a 42-storey building. Police say this is dangerous and against the law. They want people to report it.

Video appears to show a young man sliding on roof of 42-storey building

A screen grab from a video posted to Instagram appears to show a man sliding down the roof of the 42-storey building in downtown Vancouver. (heatonharaga/Instagram)

Vancouver police are condemninga video that appears to show a man dangerously sliding down the roof of a downtown highrise.

It's unclear when the video was recorded, but it was posted to Instagram in January and also postedon Reddit this week.On Friday, however, the Instagram post was removed from the site.

'Rooftopping'

The video from the post seems to be an instance of 'rooftopping,' a pursuit where people climb or get on the top of high buildings or structures and recordheart-stopping photosor videos of themselvesslidingdown parts of the structure for a thrill,

Const. Jason Doucette says the practice could end in serious injury and criminal prosecution.

"Rooftopping is very dangerous and often criminal in nature," he wrote in a statement. "Examples of the types of offences could be break and enter, mischief."

The video appears to show a mansliding on a rooftop in the Coal Harbour neighbourhood.

The building is managed by FirstServiceResidentialbut the agency has not yet responded to calls for comment on the video and questions about sliding taking place at the property.

Young man slides to the edge of the roof

Screen record of apparent 'rooftopping' in Vancouver

5 years ago
Duration 0:15
This recording of a now removed Instagram post appears to show a man sliding down the roof of a 42-storey condo building in Vancouver.

First responder safety

Meanwhile, police are asking anyone witnessinga criminal offence to contact them and say those considering undertaking rooftopping consider the harm they could not only cause themselvesbut others.

"If one of these people slips and falls, a first responder has to put their safety at risk to rescue the rooftopper," wrote Doucette.

In July 2017, two American men were chargedwith mischief after an attempt to climb the Lions Gate Bridge.