Suspected Thief Found Unconscious In Ceiling Of North Andover Store

NORTH ANDOVER (CBS) – Police responding to a burglar alarm at a North Andover store early Monday morning ending up finding a man unconscious above the ceiling.

Officers were called to the Richdale Convenience store on Chickering Road around 12:40 a.m. When they arrived they found footprints in the snow and the front door was smashed.

When police went inside they found a man unconscious inside the drop ceiling.

He didn't wake up and there were wires around him, so police were worried he may have been electrocuted.

National Grid was called to shut off the power as a precaution.

Firefighters, paramedics and police officers then pulled the man down and determined he wasn't hurt, but that he possibly passed out or fell asleep.

The man, later identified as Justin Roeger, 26, of North Andover, was taken to Lawrence General Hospital to be checked out.

He was later released to police. Police found lottery tickets stuffed in his backpack.

He was arraigned Monday in Lawrence District Court on several charges including breaking and entering, malicious damage to property and larceny for allegedly stealing several lottery tickets.

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