Would-be burglar found at the scene ‘catching some Zs’: Vernon RCMP

Vernon, B.C., Mounties say they were responding to a break and enter when they caught their suspect “napping on the job.”

At around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, a break and enter overnight at a business on Waddington Drive in Vernon was reported to police.

“Staff had arrived at the business and discovered that during the night, someone had forced their way into the store and had rummaged through tools and other merchandise,” RCMP said.

Shortly after police arrived, the person was found still inside the building, “not trying to make an escape, but catching some Zs fast asleep on a storage shelf in the back of the business,” RCMP said.

The slumbering suspect was woken and taken into custody without incident.

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“The effort of breaking in and all the stress of the crime must have really tuckered him out,” Const. Chris Terleski said.

“Emptying display cabinets and sorting and stockpiling all of his loot left him so exhausted he decided to steal a few minutes of shut-eye before continuing with his heist, but completely overslept.”

Instead of making a getaway, a 46-year-old man made an initial appearance in court Tuesday. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court again later Wednesday.