Accused burglar descends from roof of Lindenwold convenience store

Lindenwold, NJ (WTXF) Surveillance cameras capture tiles from the ceiling of a convenience store come crashing down before an accused burglar descends.

"He's like superman," said Janek Patel pointing to the patched up spot in his store's ceiling.

"That's all 6 pieces of the ceiling. It was broken down when he came through that very tiny room."

It happened Monday at the Quick Food Store on Berlin Road in Lindenwold. Another camera shows the suspect raid the register for cash while the security alarm is blaring. Then it all goes wrong.

"The first time he came here the back door was stuck so it wasn't locked and he opened it and got out the first time," said Patel.

You heard him right. The suspect allegedly pulled this same thing two weeks ago. Only this time he was shocked to find the back door that had been stuck was now fixed and there was no way out.

"So he's stuck inside the store," said Patel.

The video then shows him find a ladder to try and escape back through the ceiling. Patel says the suspect appears to get tired so he grabs a Red Bull before getting back to work. But by that time police were there, got in and the suspect had no choice but to surrender.

"He actually plead to that job and 2 other jobs that had happened in our town where he went through the roof. He seems to like going through roofs," said Detective Christopher Sherrer.

Patel took us on the roof to show where the suspect got in through a heating and air unit.

"This is amazing. He came that way only for a few bucks," said Patel.

Police say the suspect is 39 -year- old Martin Thomas of Winslow Township. He was booked at the Camden County Jail.