Soot-Covered Burglar Caught in Home's Chimney: Cops
An alleged burglar found himself in a tight situation over the weekend after trying to squeeze into a California home through the chimney.
Authorities arrived to a home in response to not one, but two calls Sunday in the town of Ridgecrest, police said in a statement.
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"RPD dispatch received a call from an unknown female, who wanted to report that her friend was stuck in a chimney and needing help. Coincidently, the burglary alarm and request for aid were at the same location," the statement reads.
But police don't believe it was really a coincidence.
When RPD officers arrived on-scene, they located Keith Schultz, 28, stuck inside of the chimney. Officers said they also found signs of forced entry at the residence and an open back door.
"It is believed at the time of this report that Schultz attempted to break into the residence by climbing down the chimney, getting himself stuck. We believe that his accomplice(s) forced entry into the residence attempting to free him but triggered the home alarm instead," police said.
Meanwhile, the cops believe whoever was with Schultz fled, and no alleged accomplices have been located.
After they extracted the sooty suspect from the chimney, Schultz was transported to an area hospital and treated before he was booked into the Bakersfield jail, where cops snapped his memorable mugshot.
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Schultz was charged with burglary in the first degree.
According to police records available online, he remains held without bail in a Kern County jail and is due back in court next month.
Watch: Firefighters Rescue Cat After Being Stuck in Chimney for 5 Days