Suspected thief gets stuck in restaurant vent

Police from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office found this man stuck in a grease vent of an abandoned Chinese restaurant on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. PHOTO FROM THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE FACEBOOK PAGE

SAN LORENZO, California, United States — A man who authorities say was possibly trying to steal from an abandoned Chinese restaurant was rescued from a grease vent, where officials said he had been trapped for two days.

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said deputies and firefighters were called to the vacant building in San Lorenzo at about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday after someone heard cries for help.

“When first responders arrived on scene, they could hear the voice and quickly determined it was coming from a roof vent atop the restaurant,” said Sgt. Ray Kelly, the sheriff’s office public information officer.

“The man was covered in grease and oil and was trapped in such a condition that he could not move,” Kelly said on the sheriff’s office Facebook page.

Firefighters then extracted the 29-year-old man from the metal duct.

The man was “physically exhausted and suffering from dehydration” and was taken to a hospital for treatment, Kelly said.

The sheriff’s office said it was investigating the man for trespassing and vandalism. It added that it was unknown if the suspect intended to commit a burglary. /cbb