Rooftop caper foiled by Moses Lake police

MOSES LAKE — If it were the first time Moses Lake police had come across a burglar trying to lower themselves down to their prize from a business’ roof, it would be like something out of a movie.

Instead, like most movies, it had been done before.

Moses Lake Police Department officers responded to the Sportsman’s Warehouse building Wednesday morning for a report of a burglary in progress, according to a statement from law enforcement. When officers arrived, they reportedly located Jacob Schmidt, 29, of Odessa on the roof.

Surveillance video reportedly showed Schmidt trying to force his way into the building. It’s not the first time Moses Lake police have found alleged burglars trying to lower themselves into a business from the roof, as a similar incident involving two Soap Lake teens attempting to break into Staples occurred in April.

Though Schmidt was reportedly cooperative when police called for him to get off the roof, he was unable to descend by himself and officers had to call for assistance from the Moses Lake Fire Department.

“Everyone knows how much cops HATE having to wake up fire fighters in the middle of the night…,” the MLPD wrote on social media.

After firefighters arrived with a ladder truck, officers were able to get to the roof and contact Schmidt. With the assistance of Moses Lake Fire Department Captain Phil Walker, Schmidt was escorted down the ladder and taken into custody.

“And, of course it would be Captain Walker, a former SWAT team member and kind of a legend over at MLFD, to be the first one up the ladder after the cops,” the MLPD wrote Wednesday morning.

“He’s been involved in a ridiculous number of rescues,” MLPD Captain Mike Williams elaborated in an interview.

Schmidt was booked into the Grant County Jail on attempted burglary charges.

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.