MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) — Murfreesboro police officers are looking for a man caught on video walking into a bowling alley.

Police said the suspect cut a hole in the ceiling and jumped a rope to get into the business. Loyal patrons of the bowling alley said they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

The break-in happened 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 used to break in and steal hundreds of dollars.

Surveillance video showed a man walking down an empty bowling alley in Murfreesboro. Cameras at the bowling alley caught him entering the building at 3 a.m., but what shocked customers like Sam Powers is how the man got in.

Powers said his mouth dropped when he heard the man cut a hole through the ceiling to get inside.

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

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

“I grew up bowling here when I was in middle school,” Powers said. “I was on the bowling team and I’ve never heard of anything like that happening here, especially knowing how long it’s been here.”

Detectives said that after walking around, the man then went into an ATM and a slot machine, making off with $1,500.

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

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

A handful of loyal customers said they were saddened to hear this had happened to such a great business.

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

As detectives work to find the man caught on video, Powers said he hopes the break-in will prompt some changes in business security.

“Hopefully they’ll get better security and hopefully they’ll be able to protect that ATM,” Powers said.

Murfreesboro police continue to search for the suspect and believe he is 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 170 pounds. The footage shows him in a camouflage green balaclava, a black jacket and jeans.

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

Copyright 2024 WSMV. All rights reserved.