Pierce County deputies arrested a 33-year-old man Thursday morning after he reportedly broke into a business at a Graham shopping center and wouldn't come out during a hours-long standoff with law enforcement.
The man was found hiding in the rafters of a business at Graham Town Center near 224th Street East and Meridian Avenue East. Deputies said they were able to talk to him and convince him to climb down. The man was arrested and booked into Pierce County Jail for investigation of commercial burglary, resisting arrest and malicious mischief.
Pierce County Sheriff's Department was first called to the scene about 6:45 a.m. after the owner of a smoke shop spotted the man on his surveillance cameras. Deputies said multiple burglaries have occurred there, and they believe burglars were accessing the business through the roof.
Deputies asked people to avoid the area while they responded to the incident. Sheriff's department spokesperson Sgt. Darren Moss said deputies had no reason to believe the man was armed.
While the man was hiding inside, deputies said, they made announcements to try to get him to come out, but the man did not surrender for several hours. Police dogs were used to search various businesses.
In a 10:30 a.m. update posted to the sheriff's department's Twitter, deputies said they were able to find him hiding in a business, and ladders were used to get him down.
