A Massachusetts man trying to escape from police has shimmied down a chimney and then got stuck, leading to a delicate rescue.

The man fled onto a rooftop, channelling what the Fall River Police Department described as “the essence of the seasonal icon,” but he ended up needing to be rescued by the detectives who were pursuing him after getting wedged inside a chimney.

Body cam video from the Fall River Police Department shows a police officer shouting, “Hey he’s on the roof. Get down here!”

Officers were alerted moments later by a bystander that a man was “screaming” inside a nearby chimney. Incredulous police climbed up the roof and peered down into the chimney shaft with a torch to see the man stuck.

“You’re an idiot,” one of them said.

Detectives called in firefighters, who had to carefully knock out bricks to free the man on Tuesday night (local time).

“Due to his Santa-antics [the man] was transported to a local hospital out of caution,” police said.

The man remained in the lockup on Thursday on drug charges and other charges from outstanding warrants.

Another man sought by police was seen jumping off the roof and over a fence, escaping capture.