Boy flees to roof after alleged police chase in stolen car

A 14-year-old boy has shut down a busy Gold Coast street by climbing onto the roof of a unit block in an alleged bid to avoid police.

Police say a stolen Holden weaved in and out of traffic for half an hour this morning, tracked by a police helicopter, after it was reported for hooning and food being thrown out the window in a McDonalds car park at Hope Island.

Four youths are alleged to have been inside the car, which was stolen from Tweed Heads late yesterday.

After dumping the stolen car in an underground car park at Southport this morning, one boy fled to a roof, while three other youths, aged 12, 14 and 17 were arrested in nearby streets.

After half an hour in the searing sun, the teenager agreed to come down off the roof.

"We deployed fire and rescue so he could be brought down safely without incident," Karen Shaw from Queensland Police said.

Tonight, all four youths are in police custody and facing a string of charges.