People in Ipswich town centre have expressed their shock at the discovery of a police cordon sealing off a number of busy streets.
Police were called onto the scene at 4.35am on Thursday after reports of a burglary at Carats Jewellers in the Buttermarket street.
A spokesman for Suffolk police said a male suspect had climbed onto the roof of the premises.
Ann Jones, 52, was in the town centre on Thursday morning and was unable to get to work because of the incident.
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She works at a newsagents' between Tavern Street and Buttermarket, and had not been able to get to her place of work since 6.50am.
She said: "It's really worried me. Police have been here but no-one knows if my shop or any of the other shops were broken into yet."
The police set up a cordon blocking access to Tavern Street, Princes Street and Buttermarket, while Dial Lane and Thoroughfare were completely shut.
Fire and ambulance crews were also stationed in the Buttermarket street and Tavern Street.
Meanwhile, other residents such as Harry Goodwin said he has been visiting the site every 30 minutes to check if he can access his shop.
He said: "It is really scary to think someone has been able to gain access to the roof of this building, especially seeing what he has access to."
The building that the man got onto is between Buttermarker shopping centre and Sailmakers shopping centre and has stores like Carats Jewellers, Superdrug, White Stuff and Waterstones, with HSBC and NatWest Bank right next to it.
"I am glad the police got to the scene quickly," said Joan Evans, who was also in the town centre.
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