Catnap lands suspect in jail after police find him sleeping behind gas station that was burglarized

A man was caught snoozing early Thursday behind a gas station where police say he was captured moments before on video stealing from the business.

Redding police officers responded to a Shell gas station at Churn Creek Road and Hartnell Avenue about 3 a.m. Thursday and saw that a window had been smashed. Several food items had been taken from the store, Sgt. Eric Forsberg said. Forsberg said no one was at the gas station during the break-in, so it’s likely the store’s alarm system alerted officers.

Officers got a look at the suspect after reviewing surveillance video from the gas station and then left the store to check the area.

They found Earle Keys, 55, sleeping in a cardboard shelter in a nearby alley. He had several items that had been stolen from the store with him when officers found him napping behind the gas station, police said.

Keys was arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra

UPDATES:

1:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the break-in.

This article was originally published at 11:30 a.m.