Alleged burglar rescued after reported break-in failure leaves him stuck inside wall for 10 hours

California officers rescued a suspected burglar Sunday morning after a reported break-in failure left a man trapped inside the walls of a business for roughly 10 hours.

The suspect was identified as Isaac Valencia, who was later booked into jail, the Salinas Police Department (SPD) said Monday.

Local outlet KSBW reported the 29-year-old allegedly slid at least 22 feet after falling from the roof of an adjacent theater around 9 p.m. the previous night.

Authorities said the incident was only discovered when overnight officers inside a coffee shop heard a faint call for help, according to the police.

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Rescue crews tear through a storefront structure in Salinas, California, on May 17, 2026, after overnight officers heard faint cries for help. (Firefighter breaching wall)

Video shared by SPD shows Salinas Fire crews tearing through the walls in an effort to reach and rescue the man. 

According to police, the incident began as officers were nearing the end of their overnight shift and stopped inside Brewjee Coffee Co for a morning coffee.

While inside, they reportedly heard "faint calls for help coming from somewhere nearby."

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At first, the source was difficult to locate, police said. Employees also noted they heard similar noises earlier, but it had suddenly stopped.

Officers then searched outside the entrance,where the trail of sound led to what they described as "yelling" coming from inside a wall between the coffee shop and the adjacent theater.

The Salinas Fire Department responded and began cutting through multiple sections of the structure in an effort to locate and rescue the man.

A Salinas firefighter cuts into an exterior wall to rescue a suspected burglar trapped inside a business in Salinas, California, on May 17, 2026. (Firefighter cutting exterior wall)

During an initial attempt to breach the coffee shop wall, crews reportedly encountered a layer of cinderblock and cement behind it.

Firefighters ultimately shifted to the adjoining exterior wall, cutting through a large section to free Valencia.  

The man was medically evaluated at the scene before being booked into the Monterey County Jail on burglary charges. His bail was set at $10,000, according to KSBW.

The rescue operation lasted roughly two and a half hours, the outlet reported.

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First responders gather outside a Salinas, California, establishment on May 17, 2026, where a man was trapped for 10 hours after a reported failed break-in. (Salinas Police Department/Facebook)

Police praised responding officers for continuing to investigate despite how minor the situation initially appeared.

"Most people probably would have chalked it up to the building making noise. These officers did not. The officers continued checking the area, including the nearby Maya Cinemas offices," SPD said.