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Burrowing burglar trapped in air duct freed by firefighters

SEATTLE — A burglar who tore through an apartment building’s drywall in an attempt to get away from police instead found himself trapped in an air duct—and had to be freed by Seattle firefighters.

It happened Tuesday night at the Prudential apartment complex at 114 Alaskan Way S.

The burrowing burglar's saga began when he mangled a soda machine in the apartment's laundry room, only to grab a fistful of quarters.

One of the neighbors caught the burglar in the act and on the spot, he said the burglar used his tools to screw the door shut to plan his next move which involved cutting through the wall.

Neighbors believe the burglar tore through five walls to gain access to other rooms.

The burglar's biggest mistake? Crawling into the basement and trying to break outside.

"The basement's all stone and rock and so he was kind of done going through walls at that point,” said neighbor TJ Davis. “Then it looks like he was trying to work his way back up to a crevice to the alley and that's where he got stuck!"

The burglar was trapped in between air ducts, and that's where tenants found him.

“We tracked him down to the garage and we cracked open this door and he was stuck in the vents crying for help, and it was kind of pitiful," said Billy, another neighbor.

It took Seattle firefighters quite a while to cut the burglar out. Tenants recorded his moment of freedom on video.

“The cops asked him what's his name was so they could get him medical attention, and he said he was 'heroin',” one neighbor said.

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