A man stuck in a grease vent at a Chinese restaurant in California was rescued after two days.
Igor Campos is the owner of a neighbouring store and he became alarmed at a groaning sound he had heard.
He told ABC7 news that he "kept hearing this 'ah, ah, ah' and I'm like, 'who can it be?'"
When Mr Campos went to investigate at the closed restaurant he was not expecting to find a man stuck halfway down the grease vent.
Local police told media the incident occurred as part of a suspected robbery gone wrong.
Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly told media that "sometimes suspects try to break into businesses to steal copper wire and plumbing and recycling for money."
"This appears to be something along those lines."
Mr Campos said the man had seemed scared, repeating "please don't hurt me".
"I said 'I'm not trying to hurt you, I'm trying to help you'."
He called authorities, who said when they arrived they could only see the man's leg and foot from below the vent.
Alameda County Fire Department Battalion Chief John Whiting said "when our crews got here, they found him stuck above the stove area."
ABC7 said in order to free the man safely authorities had to dismantle the vent.
He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment, police telling ABC7 that he may be charged with attempted robbery in the following days.
Mr Kelly said he understood the man was facing some struggles, but "the good thing is he's alive and I was able to save his life."
Newshub.
