The Idaho Falls police officers had a rather unique field day while searching for a man who allegedly took children’s bicycles, stole deli ham, and locked himself in a women’s bathroom in an attempt to escape into the ceiling of a Subway restaurant.
Jesse James Moore was arrested after police found him on the ground in a women’s bathroom at a Subway restaurant, as reported by East Idaho News. He allegedly tried to escape through the ceiling but fell through. Pieces of the ceiling were lying all around him when he was found in the bathroom.
Based on official reports, the man is suspected of committing several crimes on the same day, such as stealing a bicycle and a big stack of ham from the sandwich shop.
How did it all happen?
The search started on Tuesday, at 6 p.m. when a woman called the police saying her son’s BMX bicycle had been stolen at the skate park on Rollandet Avenue. A man reportedly wearing a Tyrannosaurus rex T-shirt came to talk to her son and offered to buy the bike for $480.
The boy refused but when he turned for a second the unknown man was already on the bike and riding away.
At 9 p.m. the police were called in to WinCo Foods after a man reported that his Harley-Davidson motorcycle had been stolen while he was inside getting his groceries. When he came out of the store the man found the BMX bike in place of his motorcycle.
According to the officials, the woman who reported the theft of her son’s bike also named Jesse James Moore as a potential suspect. After that Moore was considered a suspect for both thefts.
What happened next?
More police officers came to search the area thoroughly. The motorcycle owner found the Harley-Davidson parked in front of Planet Fitness on Woodruff Avenue. The officers saw Moore walking toward the Subway that was located in the same parking lot as the gym.
The suspect went into the restaurant and locked the door after going inside the women’s restroom. There was rustling inside, and he refused to come out.
After that suspicious sounds were heard coming from the restroom, tipping officers to the possibility of Moore trying to escape through the ceiling.
The Subway owner then kicked open the door to the restroom. Officers went quickly inside and found Moore on the ground, surrounded by pieces of ceiling. He had fallen while trying to make off through the ceiling.
After he refused to come out of the stall where he was, the police pulled Moore out by his feet, the news outlet reports.
The officers noted he was wearing the same dinosaur T-shirt described earlier. Inside the ceiling the officials found a knife and Moore’s shoes.
Idaho Falls Police Department spokeswoman Jessica Clements also revealed the large wad of ham was found wrapped in paper while searching Moore.
The Idaho Falls suspect has been charged with felony grand theft for the motorcycle, misdemeanor petty theft for the bicycle, misdemeanor malicious injury to property for the damage done to the restaurant, and petty theft for the ham.