A stolen car landed on the roof of a building in California after the thief, while driving at high speed, hit some rocks and a tree stump and launched it towards the house.

Gary Brar, landlord of the building, explained to reporters that he thought it was a joke when he got a phone call telling him there was a car on top of the property.

'I had to actually go online to see it and still couldn't believe it, that's why I'm over here checking it out,' he said.

Jeanell Ricks, who was babysitting her nephew in the house last Wednesday when the incident occurred, said: 'I thought it was an earthquake, 'cause I heard the house moving, I saw the house moving.'

Benjamin Tucker, the 25-year-old driver, apparently attempted to flee the scene after the roof crash, but he was apprehended at the house of his ex-girlfriend.

He's now charged with auto theft, hit and run, and running away from a police officer.

Fresno police officer Anthony Martinez told KFSN-TV: 'I've been a police officer for 22 years and I have never seen anything like this in my life.

'When I was on my way out here, my officers told me that they thought Santa was driving car. But I realised that was just a joke.

'I really don't know how the car got up there.'

A crane was used by a towing company to eventually lower the car from the roof. No one was seriously injured as a result of the incident, and there was no major damage caused to the interior of the house.