On Monday, a burglar in Northern California got stuck in the walls of a coffee shop and had to call for help while employees remained oblivious to his plight.
Officers from the Sharp-Salinas Police Department were enjoying their morning coffee when they noticed a strange knocking sound coming from the wall. To their surprise, a man responded from the other side.
They quickly called the Salinas Fire Department, who came to the rescue by cutting through the wall and freeing the man, identified as Isaac Valencia. The 29-year-old reportedly spent around 10 hours trapped between the Brewjee coffee shop and a nearby movie theater. He had slipped off the roof of Maya Cinema the previous night and slid down 22 feet, according to a local news source.
In a post on social media, Salinas PD reflected on the unusual circumstances: “Not every rescue starts with lights and sirens. In some cases, it starts with several cemeteries.” Clearly, while officers were trying to finish their shifts with a coffee break, they were also alert to the unusual sounds around them.
Before the police stepped in, employees at the coffee shop dismissed the strange noises, thinking it was just typical building sounds.
Most people would likely have ignored it, but thankfully the officers were alert enough to take it seriously.
The police department commended the officers’ instincts, expressing relief that the situation ended safely. They praised the team for listening closely, even when they were tired.
Valencia was examined medically after his rescue before being taken to Monterey County Jail on robbery charges. The firefighters had to break through several layers of concrete and cement to reach him.
His bail has been set at $10,000. For some context, Salinas is situated just south of the Bay Area, in Monterey County.
