Beer Bandits' Balcony Escape Backfires

Two men suspected of stealing beer were arrested at a hotel in Santa Ana after a bizarre escape attempt

Two suspected beer thieves were arrested Saturday night when their unusual getaway attempt failed -- they tried to jump down the balconies of a 10-story hotel Santa Ana, Calif.

One suspect broke his leg in several places and had to be rescued by firefighters using a hook-and-ladder truck to pluck him off of the hotel rooftop while amused hotel guests looked on.

 "There were a lot officers," said Anthony Bertagna, a spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department, laughing. "I don't know where they think they were going."

The drama began at around dinnertime when the suspects twice tried to steal beer from a gas station for a party at the Embassy Suites at 1325 East Dyer Road in Santa Ana, police said.

After the second theft, the gas station clerk saw the suspects go to the hotel and alerted police.

When police arrived, the suspects tried to get away by scaling the hotel wall and jumping from balcony to balcony, police said.

The suspects were identified as Gabriel Anthony Sauceda, 22, and Chad Alexander Walker, 20.

They were booked into custody on a burglary charge, police said

Sauceda broke his leg in several places, police said.

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