Jail Sentence for Man who Hid in Applebee's Ceiling

The odd story of a Limerick resident who hid in the ceiling of the Royersford Applebee's restaurant and allegedly planned to rob the restaurant after it closed for the night, came to a close today with his sentencing in Common Pleas Court. 

According to a story in the Spring-Ford Reporter, 44-year-old Leslie Hornung III pleaded guilty to felony criminal trespass and was sentenced to eleven and a half to twenty-three months in Montgomery County Correctional Facility and five years' probation after his jail sentence is complete. 

Hornung is also barred from visiting the Applebee's again. 

This story was one of the most-read on Limerick-Royersford-Spring City Patch in 2012. Patch first reported Hornung's arrest in September. 

Employees of Applebee's called police after a suspicious man, who employees reported was wearing a wig, was seen entering the men's room at the restaurant and did not leave it. 

Police found footprints on a men's room toilet and a loose ceiling panel. When police checked the ceiling space, they found Hornung hiding there. 

Hornung had a wig and gloves in the crawlspace with him. Police said in an arrest affidavit that Hornung disguised himself because he had worked at the Applebee's and would have been recognized by staff. 

As part of the plea deal, several charges including possession of an instrument of crime, attempted burglary, and criminal mischief were dismissed. Hornung was immediately remanded to custody.