Homeless moving underground? Man seen climbing into utility vaults in Little Tokyo

LITTLE TOKYO, Calif. (KABC) -- We walk over underground utility vaults everyday, but could somebody be inside?

Video captured by the Japanese American National Museum shows a homeless man put his belongings inside the vault on Alameda next to the museum, then climb inside and shut the door.

"We don't know how long or how many times he may have accessed that vault. It's certainly possible he had been there other times," said Doug Van Kirk, the CFO of JANM.

Museum officials also say the presence of a homeless man in the vaults poses a safety hazard.

"Given the location of the vault, it's immediately under the museum and the potential for a very severe incident. There's gas lines down there. There's electrical lines down there. A fire could have been started down there. We just have to be careful," said Bill Fujioka, the Chair of the Board of Trustees at JANM.

Utility vaults are supposed to be sealed, but clearly thie one near the JANM is not. Eyewitness News found clothes down there, and there is enough room for someone to sleep.

It was Monday night after 8 a.m. when security guards at the Japanese American National Museum noticed the homeless man opening another vault on Alameda and stuffing a backpack inside.

They called the LAPD to report a trespasser and when police arrived, they located the man who is in his 30's.

The suspect hit one of the officers and was taken into custody. He had drugs on him and a plastic gun.

"Our primary concern has to be that of the safety of our visitors, our staff and volunteers so anything that might effect that is something that we take seriously," said Van Kirk.

The museum told Eyewitness News that they've been in contact with the LADWP, who told them they plan to seal the two vaults.