The true story of robber Jeffrey Manchester, who hid on the roof of a toy store.

Sometimes reality is so unbelievable that even the most inventive screenwriter wouldn't dare include such plot twists in their film. The story of Jeffrey Manchester is just such a case. He robbed restaurants by climbing through rooftops, escaped from prison, and lived in a toy store for six months, subsisting on baby food and riding a bicycle through the empty store. And none of this is the product of Hollywood scriptwriters, but true events that inspired the film "Rooftop Robber," starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst.

Jeffrey Manchester was born in 1971 in Sacramento, California. He served in the U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division, which greatly aided his criminal career. During his service, Manchester mastered rock climbing skills and tactics for infiltrating difficult spaces, which he later used in robberies. He trained in vertical assault in the Utah mountains and participated in Operation Desert Shield, where he employed stealth entry techniques—a skill he later adapted for civilian buildings.

In 1999, his life changed dramatically: he divorced his wife, whom he had married at age 20, and found himself in dire financial straits. The father of three couldn't afford even simple gifts for his children. His eldest daughter Becky's request for a bicycle for her birthday became a painful reminder of his helplessness. It was then that Manchester made a fateful decision that would completely change his destiny.

Beginning in the late 1990s, Manchester began a series of daring robberies of fast-food restaurants, primarily McDonald's. In less than a year, he committed between 40 and 60 robberies in nine states, stealing a total of approximately $100,000.

His method was original and technically challenging: he carefully examined the site, then climbed onto the roof at night, drilled a hole with power tools, and penetrated. He chose only those McDonald's with roofs covered with soft roofing felt—his drill penetrated the material silently in 3-4 minutes.

At the restaurant, Manchester hid in the restroom until morning, waiting for the staff to arrive. When the establishment opened, he emerged armed, locked the staff in the walk-in cooler, and emptied the cash registers. This unusual method earned him the nickname "The Rooftop Robber" or "The Window Robber."

Surprisingly, many victims remembered him with unexpected warmth. One manager said Manchester was apologetic and extremely polite. He even offered his jacket to an employee who had no coat before locking him in the freezer.

Out of concern for his victims' safety, he would call the police after a robbery, reporting that the employees were locked in the refrigerator. This strange mixture of criminality and humanity earned him a reputation as the country's most polite thief. On one occasion, he left a note: "Sorry to bother you. You made great coffee this morning." It was found next to the empty cash register.

The FBI codenamed him "Roofman." He was listed as a "Class B" non-threatening felon, despite his armed robberies, due to his lack of physical violence and his systematic efforts to ensure the safety of his victims.

Manchester's criminal career ended on May 20, 2000, on his daughter Becky's birthday. He was just about to give her the very bicycle she'd dreamed of. When the garage door opened, the police were waiting. Manchester attempted to flee, but he was caught and sentenced to 45 years in prison.

Becky later said in an interview:

But the story didn't end there. In 2004, Manchester staged a daring escape from Brown Creek Correctional Facility in North Carolina. He crafted a special platform to hide in the undercarriage of a truck that regularly entered and exited the prison workshop. The platform was so cleverly designed that it could support up to 150 kg and was virtually invisible to a cursory inspection of the vehicle.

The escape was so meticulously planned that security only noticed his absence several hours later. The plan worked flawlessly. Manchester was now a fugitive, the subject of a nationwide manhunt.

After escaping, Manchester headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he found an unusual hideout. He settled into a Toys "R" Us children's store, creating a secret hideout for himself and living there for about six months. Here, the skills he learned in the military came in handy again. A 2005 psychological evaluation noted:

Manchester carved out a secluded corner for himself in a corner of the store. During the day, he hid in this secret place, subsisting on baby food and sweets straight from the shelves. At night, when the store was empty, he emerged from his hiding place and roamed freely around the sales floor, riding his bike between the toy aisles.

Over time, the store's employees began to notice oddities: merchandise was disappearing, and one day they discovered evidence of someone sleeping on an inflatable pool mattress behind a false wall. Manchester was forced to change his position within the store several times to remain undetected.

In December 2004, he moved into the abandoned Circuit City electronics store next door. There, he set up a room under the stairs where he watched movies on a DVD player. The tech-savvy fugitive even hacked the store's computer systems and altered employee work schedules for his own amusement.

Police later discovered 17 empty baby food jars, three DVD players, and a collection of 23 films, including Catch Me If You Can, in his hideout. He watched the film 11 times—once a week—as if comparing his fate to Frank Abagnale's.

While on the run, Manchester didn't want to live a reclusive life. He adopted the alias John Zorn and began attending the local Crossroads Presbyterian Church. There, he met Lee Wainscott, a single mother raising three children.

They began dating after meeting at a singles brunch at TGI Friday's. Wainscott believed John was unmarried and childless. Manchester gave her expensive gifts, even buying her a car and bringing toys for her daughters. It was later discovered that all the gifts were stolen from the stores where he was hiding, including American Girl dolls and Lego sets.

This strange balance between a secret life in a toy store and an attempt to build a normal relationship couldn't last forever. Manchester craved human warmth and connection, but his past inevitably caught up with him with each passing day. He himself admitted to director Derek Cianfrance:

On December 26, 2004, Manchester made a mistake: he robbed the very same Toys R Us store where he was hiding. When police began their investigation, they discovered secret passages leading to the nearby abandoned Circuit City, where they found a furnished living space.

A fingerprint was found in this hideout that matched Jeffrey Manchester, who had escaped from prison several months earlier. Police were on the fugitive's trail. Investigators found meticulously prepared security patrol schedules and detailed maps of the store, complete with markings of the blind spots of surveillance cameras.

In January 2005, investigators visited Lee Wainscott at work and showed her a photograph of her boyfriend, revealing his true identity. Shocked, she agreed to help police.

Wainscott called Manchester to confirm their meeting time on her birthday. Police tracked Manchester's movements, even stopping to buy flowers for his girlfriend. When he approached her door and knocked, officers arrested him on the spot. Upon his arrest, they seized $3,245 in cash, stolen jewelry, and keys to all the stores in the mall.

Following his arrest, Manchester was sentenced to an additional 32 years in prison for the escape and subsequent crimes in Charlotte. He is currently incarcerated at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina. He will not be eligible for parole until December 4, 2036.

The convict reportedly attempted to escape from prison twice—in 2009 and 2017—but failed both times. In 2017, he attempted to recreate his famous escape by constructing a platform out of books and bedding, but was discovered by guards. Manchester now works as a prison librarian and claims he no longer plans to escape.

Lee Wainscott remarried, but recently visited Manchester in prison for the first time in over a decade. She spoke warmly of him, saying he had only lied to her about his work, not about who he really was as a person.

The story of Jeffrey Manchester formed the basis for the film Roofman, which premiered in October 2025. The film stars Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, and Peter Dinklage. The film's budget was approximately $18 million, and it grossed over $30 million.

Director Derek Cianfrance even met with the real Manchester in prison to better understand his character. Actor Channing Tatum said he was struck by the warmth and optimism of a man who spent nine years in solitary confinement. During the meeting, Manchester admitted to the director that the hardest part of his post-escape story wasn't the isolation, but the inability to see his children grow up.

Manchester's story raises complex moral questions. On the one hand, he committed dozens of armed robberies, terrifying innocent people. On the other hand, many of his victims remember him with surprising sympathy, noting his politeness and caring nature even during the crimes.

This is the story of a man who tried to provide for his family in the most improper way possible. It's a story of how the desire to be a good father led to disastrous consequences. And it's a story of how, even in the most unlikely circumstances, people continue to seek connection with others.

Today, Jeffrey Manchester spends his days behind bars, working in the prison library and reflecting on the choices that brought him there. More than ten years remain until his possible release. During that time, he will read thousands of books, but none of them will be as captivating as his own life.

Do you think Jeffrey Manchester deserves a second chance after his release, or are his crimes too serious to be forgiven?