“As luck would have it, ‘Oscar the Grouch’ — as we’ve nicknamed our suspect — appeared at just the right place and the right time,” police said
Credit: Huber Heights Police
NEED TO KNOW
- The Huber Heights Police Department in Ohio shared police dash cam footage that showed a sanitation worker discovering a suspect, who fled from authorities, hiding in a trash can
- The trash collector could be seen opening a can and getting startled, before pointing to it and alerting police
- The suspect could be seen poking his head out of the trash can before getting out and attempting to run away from police
A sanitation worker got the surprise of his life when he found a man — and not garbage — hiding in a trash can.
The Huber Heights Police Department (HHPD) in Ohio shared police dash cam footage of the incident, in which a trash collector could be seen alerting cops to a suspect in can that he was preparing to empty into the back of his garbage truck on Monday, Feb. 23.
In the footage, the worker could be seen bringing a garbage can to his truck, flipping the lid open and getting ready to dump the trash inside. However, soon after looking inside, he could be seen getting startled and quickly moving away.
He went off to the side and started jumping and pointing to the container and signaling to police, as authorities moved their car closer to the garbage can and truck for inspection.
As they moved closer, a man could be seen popping his head up from out of the garbage can. He then jumped out and started running away from police. Officers could then be seen chasing the man as he fled down the street and even left behind his shoes in his efforts to escape.
The HHPD gave more insight into the incident in a Facebook post, sharing that it happened after one of its officers initiated a traffic stop, which prompted a driver to stop his vehicle.
Credit: Huber Heights Police
However, the driver then fled from the car and the cops on foot, and the officers lost sight of him. HHPD said it “quickly established a perimeter in the area,” as they attempted to search for their runaway suspect.
“As luck would have it, ‘Oscar the Grouch’ — as we’ve nicknamed our suspect — appeared at just the right place and the right time,” said HHPD in a statement, referencing the video.
After the suspect revealed himself hiding in the trash can, HHPD said the suspect was eventually apprehended “thanks to the impressive athletic ability and swift response of our very own Officer Perez.”
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Credit: Huber Heights Police
“The suspect was taken into custody without injury to anyone involved,” police said, though they did not give any other information on the suspect.
PEOPLE has reached out to the HHPD for comment and any updates on this case.
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