Burglar Stuck In Chimney Freed By Firefighters

An Arkansas burglar stuck inside a chimney was freed by firefighters earlier this week.

The would-be thief was attempting to sneak into a pawn shop in Harrison when he became lodged inside the store’s chimney. The guy remain wedged in the small space until the owner arrived the following morning.

Capital Pawn owner Ernest Raney told the New York Daily News that he suspected something was up when he entered the store on Wednesday. However, the last thing he expected to encounter was a burglar stuck inside the chimney.

“I’m still in disbelief. When we came into work, I opened the door up and heard some sounds. I thought maybe something got lodged in there,” Raney explained to the website.

Authorities said the pawn shop owner immediately called police once he realized what was going on. Assistant Police Chief Sam Martin said the would-be thief spent the entire night inside the store’s chimney.

In order to free the burglar from his predicament, firefighters pulled the man’s arms through the opening on the roof. After they attached straps to his wrists, rescuers were able to free him from the chimney.

“I never imagined anybody coming down the chimney. In part because nobody can come down the chimney. It’s sealed off at the bottom,” Raney told KSPR.

He added, “He could have been in there a long time before anyone knew he was there, no water, no food, no anything. I actually felt kind of sorry for him, he looked pitiful.”

The alleged burglar told authorities that he was simply walking across the roof of the store Tuesday evening when he accidentally fell inside the chimney. Police apparently didn’t buy his story — he was taken into custody and charged with commercial burglary.

What do you think about the Arkansas burglar who got stuck inside a chimney?

[Image via Shutterstock.com]