Man breaks into Murfreesboro business by rappelling through the roof

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) – Murfreesboro Police officers are searching for a man caught on video breaking into a bowling alley.

According to police, the suspect cut a hole in the ceiling and jumped down a rope to enter the business. Loyal patrons of the bowling alley said they couldn’t believe what they heard.

The burglary occurred at the Lanes Trains and Automobiles Entertainment Center and Bowling Alley on Butler Drive. Customers said they were not only shocked by the surveillance video, but days later they could still see the hole that was broken into and hundreds of dollars stolen.

The surveillance video showed a man strolling through an empty bowling alley in Murfreesboro. The bowling alley’s cameras caught him breaking into the building at 3 a.m., but what shocked customers like Sam Powers was how the man got in.

The hole where the suspect seeped through the roof was still visible when customers returned to the business.

Powers said his jaw dropped when he heard the man had cut a hole in the ceiling to get inside.

“Come on, that’s a movie, I’ve seen that in movies,” Powers said.

Murfreesboro police said after the man cut a hole in the ceiling of the bowling alley, he then used a rope to rappel down.

“I grew up bowling when I was in high school,” Powers said. “I was on the bowling team and I’ve never heard anything like this happen here, especially since I know how long it’s been here.”

Detectives said after walking around, the man broke into an ATM and a game card charger while making out with $1,500.

A woman at the bowling alley said two days later she couldn’t believe what had happened.

“What was going through their minds to even say, ‘I’m going to cut a hole through a ceiling,’” she said.

A handful of loyal customers said they were sorry to hear this happened to such a great company.

“I honestly hate it just because it’s such a family business,” one customer explains. “We bring our kids here all the time, so it really broke my heart for the staff I met here.”

As detectives worked to track down the man captured on video, Powers said he hoped the break-in would prompt some changes in the business’ security.

“Hopefully they can get better security, and hopefully they can protect that ATM,” Powers said.

Murfreesboro PD continues to search for the suspect and believes he is 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 170 pounds. The images show him in a green camouflage balaclava, a black jacket and blue jeans.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Murfreesboro Police Department at 629-201-5638.