Police: Thief gets stuck in vent for hours in failed break-in attempt in Brandon Township

BRANDON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A 32-year-old Brandon Township man was found stuck in a pizza oven vent Sunday at the Cracker Barrel Pizza Store in the 5500 block of Oakhill Road.

Oakland County Sheriff's deputies were called to the store on a report of a person screaming for help. The man was found stuck in the vent halfway from the roof to the floor.

The Sheriff's Office said he was trying to break into the store through the vent in the roof. He had removed the vent cap, entered the pipe from the roof and got stuck. He was there for more than 11 hours, the Sheriff's Office said.

Firefighters from Brandon and Independence townships extricated him.

The Sheriff's Office said the man's criminal history includes a conviction in 2005 for home invasion. He was sentenced to 3-22 years for that conviction. He also had two convictions in 2012 for breaking and entering and possession of a controlled substance, for which he was sentenced to 14 months to 15 years in prison. He has been on parole from the Michigan Department of Corrections for the 2012 convictions.

The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the incident and formal charges are pending.