‘Spiderman’ arrested after climbing Twin Towers (Update)

Alain Robert

KUALA LUMPUR: French climber Alain Robert, also known as “Spiderman,” was arrested Tuesday after successfully scaling the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, city police confirmed.

Deputy police chief SAC I Abdul Samah Ahmad said the Frenchman was arrested for criminal tresspass.

It was Robert’s third attempt to scale the 88-storey structure, at one time the world’s tallest building.

According to earlier wire reports, Robert sneaked past security before dawn Tuesday and climbed to the top of Tower 2 of the landmark building.

The 47-year-old has climbed more than 70 skyscrapers worldwide, including the Empire State Building, the Sears Tower and Taipei 101, according to his website.

“We have taken him back to the police station for questioning and checking his passport. He can be charged for criminal trespass ... . He climbed the building without a permit from the management,” Abdul Samah told AFP.

Robert, clad in a black shirt and trousers, celebrated his ascent by standing with his arms outspread on the pinnacle of one of the towers as a helicopter circled in the misty early morning.

Eyewitnesses said he took less than two hours to complete the climb, and then fixed a Malaysian flag on top of the building, AFP reported.

“He climbed using his bare hands and reached the top very fast ... no security personnel noticed him or stopped him,” said Ee Wee Kiat, a cameraman who was filming the scene from the ground.

Robert first tried to scale the building on March 20, 1997, and made a second unsuccessful attempt in 2007 after which he was freed without charge.

Each time he reached the 60th storey before being intercepted by authorities.