Suspect was found on the roof of big box store, Lacey police say

A 29-year-old Thurston County man was arrested earlier this month after he was found on the roof of a Walmart, according to a Lacey police social media post.

About 11:40 p.m. Sept. 10, police were dispatched to the 5100 block of Yelm Highway Southeast after store staff called 911 to report they could hear loud footsteps and banging on the roof, the post reads.

Police located the man and ordered him to come down. He claimed he had been playing with a stick and that it had somehow ended up on the roof, so he climbed up there to retrieve it, according to the post.

Police say he initially provided a fake name, but eventually told officers his real name. That’s when police learned he was wanted by the state Department of Corrections for failing to meet release terms tied to a previous crime, Sgt. Jeremy Knight said.

The man was previously arrested for second-degree robbery, Knight said.

In addition to the outstanding warrant, he was booked on suspicion of trespassing, Knight said.

Walmart staff said the man had been asked to leave the store earlier the same day, according to the post.

This story was originally published September 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM.