CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Police say a Texas man who became trapped inside an ATM slipped notes to customers via the receipt slot pleading for them to help him escape.

Corpus Christi police Lt. Chris Hooper says the contractor became stuck Wednesday when he was changing a lock to a Bank of America room that leads to the ATM.

The unidentified contractor, who had left his cellphone in his truck, encountered a problem with the lock.

He passed notes through the ATM receipt slot to customers retrieving cash. One read, "Please help. I'm stuck in here ...," before imploring people to call his boss.

A customer called police, who heard a faint voice coming from the ATM.

An officer kicked in the door to the room, freeing the man.