Pasadena : Suspected Burglar Suffocates

A man who attempted to break into a dry-cleaning business through the roof suffocated when he got stuck in a tight ventilation shaft, police reported Tuesday.

Authorities sought help in identifying the suspected burglar, whose body was discovered Monday morning.

Employees at the New Era Cleaners saw his legs hanging down from the ventilation shaft in a utility closet.

Pasadena Police Lt. Van Anthony said the man had climbed on the roof and bent the blades on a large ventilation fan to slip into the building.

Anthony described the man as about 25 years old, 5-foot-9, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a fleece-lined denim jacket, black pants with an orange stripe and a red baseball cap.