Would-be burglar rescued after getting stuck in restaurant grease vent for 2 days
December 13, 2018 at 1:33 AM EST - Updated December 13 at 5:00 AM SAN LORENZO, CA (KGO/CNN) - Authorities say a man they discovered trapped in a California restaurant’s grease vent is lucky to be alive and may not have survived another day.
Business owner Igor Campos had been hearing strange noises coming from a vacant Chinese restaurant next door for two days. Finally, he went to investigate the moaning Wednesday morning.
Campos discovered a 29-year-old man covered in grease stuck in a restaurant exhaust vent.
"I start asking questions, like ‘What’s your name?’ And he was like, ‘Just please help me. Get me out of here... Please don’t hurt me.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m trying to help you,’” Campos said.
Campos called 911, and investigators determined the man was likely trying to break into the restaurant.
"We can confirm that this gentleman was not Santa Claus and did not have legal authority to be here,” said Alameda County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly. “Often times, suspects try to break into vacant businesses to steal copper wire and plumbing and recycling for money. So, this appears to be something along those lines.”
When first responders arrived on scene, all they could see from below was the man’s leg and foot. Firefighters had to dismantle the vent in order to free him. It took almost an hour.
