NEWTON, Mass. — Two New Hampshire men who told police they planned to parachute off of a TV tower and film it were arrested before they could carry out their plan, police said.

Tighe Crumb, 31, of Salem, N.H., and Thomas Becker, 28, of Derry, N.H., are facing charges of trespassing, disturbing the peace and wanton destruction of property for allegedly hopping a fence and attempting to climb to the tower’s peak on Sunday night, police said.

Police said they were called by a resident who spotted Crumb and Becker as they ascended the tower. Newton firefighters and paramedics responded with police officers to an area of Chestnut Street about 9:15 p.m.

“They were about halfway up the tower,” police Lt. Bruce Apotheker said. “The officers who responded were able to talk the guys down.”

Crumb and Becker each had a parachute, police said. At least one of the men had a camera attached to a helmet.

The men told police they planned to record their jump, according to Apotheker. “They called it ‘spot jumping,’” said Apotheker, the department’s spokesperson.

Crumb and Becker were arraigned on the misdemeanor charges Monday. Apotheker said the destruction of property charge was brought because the men allegedly damaged a fence they climbed while getting access to the tower.

Police do not know what led the two New Hampshire men to their town.

Apotheker said he did not know the exact height of the tower, but the department responded to a call last year when a man working on the tower fell to his death.

jkimble@newstote.com