LOS ANGELES - A burglary suspect trying to elude bail bondsmen ran onto the roof of a house in East Los Angeles Friday and refused to come down for several hours before surrendering.

Michael Vargas, 37, was taken into custody about 11:30 a.m. at the scene of the standoff, which began about 7 a.m. near the 5300 block of Grace Place, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported.

Vargas had attempted to elude the bail bondsmen by hiding in the attic, and then he climbed out onto the roof, where he became stranded, authorities said.

Deputies surrounded the single-story house and placed a ladder against the building, but the shirtless man remained atop the structure, at times standing on the top edge of the steeply pitched roof. Eventually, he climbed down the ladder, surrendered, and was handcuffed without further incident.