Prowlers Plucked From CU Roof AfterNine-Hour Stand-Off

PADUCAH, Ky. - (01/02/05) – A would-be thief was forced outof the rafters at Paducah FCU Friday afternoon after police usedtear gas, pepper spray and a negotiator to pry him lose. Thesuspect, Patrick Hopper, 28, surrendered around 3:15 pm afterdodging tear gas canisters and fending off police negotiators, thenbreaking through the ceiling into the credit union lobby. Theincident began around 6 am, when an employee at an adjacent officesaw a man crawl up a pole and into the ceiling of the creditunion’s drive-thru. Police responded to the scene and firedtear gas into the attic. Hopper then ran to the other side of theattic where he tried to break through the ceiling into the creditunion. During negotiations for a surrender, Hopper agreed toexchange his gun for a change of clothes because his clothes werecovered in tear gas and pepper spray, leaving the thief nakedinside the credit union lobby for a brief period.