Man Freed From Duct in S.D. Bank

A man who police believe was trying to break into a bank and instead ended up stuck in its ventilation system was being held late Sunday by San Diego police after a cleaning crew found him dangling from a duct, authorities said.

The man, identified as Richard Batiste, a 35-year-old transient, apparently had lowered himself into a vent shaft from the roof of the Sumitomo Bank at 410 A St. when his rope broke, authorities reported. When he tried to crawl out, they said, he ended up stuck in a duct with his legs dangling out 20 feet above the bank floor.

Firefighters believe Batiste was stuck there for 48 hours until mid-afternoon Sunday, when he was spotted by a cleaning crew. “When they asked him what he was doing, the victim said, ‘You wouldn’t believe it. Just get me out of here,’ ” a San Diego Fire Department spokesman said.

It took police and firefighters 45 minutes to dislodge Batiste, whose bag of burglary tools had apparently fallen into the bank below him, authorities said. Police Lt. Richard Bennett said Batiste was being questioned and would be held overnight.