WARWICK, R.I. -- A 25-year-old Warwick man is charged with breaking and entering a commercial business after being found trapped inside a wall at JCPenney at the Warwick Mall around 3 a.m. Saturday.
An officer responding to a burglary alarm around 2:40 a.m. saw a man exiting the department store, according to Lt. Andrew Tainsh. The person reentered the building after spotting the police cruiser.
An officer searching the store noticed a misplaced ceiling tile and several light fixtures that had been disturbed, leading police to discover John Ryder, of 113 Van Zandt Ave., wedged in a wall, Tainsh said. Ryder had to be extracted from the wall by a fire crew.
Ryder was found with a backpack full of stolen goods, including jewelry, Tainsh said. He could not place a value on the items.
Police believe Ryder hid in a waiting room at the store until after closing time, police said.