Heather Wright/The Herald

A standoff in Thamesville that lasted almost 24 hours is over and one man has been taken into custody.

Police who had blocked off a short piece of Sherman Street between Ferguson and Lamilla since around 11:30 Saturday morning, say the incident has now ended.

“A 44year-old man at the center of a Break and Enter investigation had barricaded himself in his residence, and would not exit,” police said in a social media post just before 11 am.

“Due to the possibility of him having access to weapons, the CKPS Emergency Response Team (ERT) was called out to manage the call. Several hours later the male was apprehended and the situation resolved without incident. The public was not at risk during this investigation”

Witnesses tell The Herald a resident saw a man breaking into a home on Sherman. As the man left the scene on a scooter, the resident tried to block his way. The witness says the man then abandoned the scooter and went to a home in the now blocked off area of Sherman. That’s when police were called in.

Neighbours say when police first arrived, they told people on the street to get inside their homes as the incident unfolded. Others received calls from Chatham-Kent Police telling them to stay indoors.

However, there was a steady stream of cars circling the area throughout the afternoon.

Officers with rifles could be seen at the front of the home along with an armoured vehicle used by the CIRT team. More officers were seen with weapons beside the home, heading into the backyard

Neighbours also watched the officers come in and out of the home several times.

By about 5:30 pm, Chatham-Kent police brought in the Incident Command vehicle and were seen helping concerned residents to their front door.

More cruisers were seen blocking Sherman Street.

An ambulance also seemed to be on standby in nearby Ferguson Park.

Police also removed a red bag from the scooter, which remained in the grass near the creek behind Sherman Street.

So far, police have not released any details about the heavy presence on Sherman Street nor if anyone has been taken into custody.

Neighbours tell The Herald they stayed up late in the night worried about the heavy police presence and wondering if the incident would spill over into the neighbourhood.

Police have told Sherman Street residents they will receive a call when the incident is resolved.