Bizarre moment New Mexico scam artist tries to escape from cops by climbing through hospital ceiling after complaining of chest pains
A serial con man tried to use his skills to arrest cops in New Mexico by pretending to have had a heart attack and running through the bathroom ceiling.
Steven Byers, 61, was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants by Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputies on Feb. 9, 11 months after absconding from parole.
Police bodycam video shows him convincing police to take off his handcuffs to go to the bathroom, moments before medics alerted them that someone was crawling through the ceiling above their heads.
Officers burst into the bathroom and noticed a ceiling panel was missing and gave chase. They eventually found him hiding under a pile of insulation material in a cavity wall.
“Unfortunately, we do not treat everyone as if they pose an extreme risk,” a sheriff’s spokesperson said.
Steven Byers persuaded officers to take him to the hospital after his arrest on February 9
“I think I’m having a heart attack, dude,” he said to someone as he persuaded him to loosen the cuffs
“We trusted that he would comply, and he really was there, in the hospital, with a medical condition and that he wouldn’t try to escape.”
Byers, who has a 40-year criminal record, returned to his home state after being paroled in Nevada in 2017.
More than a dozen victims reported him for home improvement fraud after he was paid for work on their homes that he did not complete.
At the time of his arrest, he was also wanted for driving a stolen vehicle and operating as a contractor without a license.
Police took him to Lovelace Hospital after he complained of ‘stomach problems’ and they untied him so he could go to the toilet.
“No jokes, don’t leave, don’t do anything stupid,” deputy Lorenzo Herrera warned him.
Forty-five minutes later, he alerted officers that his condition was worsening and asked to go again, moaning, “I think I’m having a heart attack, dude.”
As the minutes passed, a surprised nurse reported hearing “scratching” in the ceiling and officers rushed into the bathroom to find an overturned trash can under a missing ceiling panel.
Byers staggered away for what officers assumed would be a quick bathroom break
Medics were surprised to hear ‘crabs’ in the ceiling above them and alerted police
“Steven climbed the first floor ceiling and moved from north to south and back and forth, looking for a way out of the hospital,” a deputy reported.
The person in hiding was eventually found and sent back through the hole he had made
There were no further bathroom breaks for Byers until he reached the custody house
The veteran offender returned to his home state after being paroled in Nevada in 2017
Medics rushed to evacuate patients from the ward, fearing the person in hiding would collapse on their bed.
‘Stoop!’ someone shouted: ‘he’s in the ceiling!’
“Steven climbed the first floor ceiling and moved from north to south and back and forth, looking for a way out of the hospital,” a deputy wrote.
‘Due to Steven’s comments about having to go to the toilet and even being handcuffed in front of his body, I did not believe Steven would be able to clean himself effectively.
‘Steven has been compliant so far and had previously used the toilet to vomit from his stomach problems without any problems.’
Deputy Herrera gave chase, guided by clues from below, and eventually spotted Byers curled up in a hole.
“That was stupid,” the officer told him.
“Yes, I tried,” Byers replied, “Let’s go.”
“Why would you do something like that?” Herrera asked.
“I got scared,” the criminal claimed.
An undercover detective from the sheriff’s office told the story KOOT that Byers “is one of those persons against whom we must take extra precautions and have a greater awareness of his ability to escape.”
“Not only his willingness, but he’s intelligent. He knows what we can and cannot do when it comes to basic human rights.”
Dan Klein, a former Albuquerque police detective who arrested Byers in the 1980s, said his earlier indictment “hasn’t slowed down at all.”
He absconded from parole last year and was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants
He is now in the Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting trial
“You know, they’re some people you’ll never rehabilitate. And all you can do is house them. And Steven Byers is such a person.’
Byers was handcuffed again and given a clean bill of health by hospital staff.
He asked to go to the bathroom again, but was told to wait until they got to the Metropolitan Detention Center.
He is back in jail awaiting trial, and the hospital estimates the cost of repairing the damage he caused at $20,000.