Jeffrey Manchester is an American criminal known for an audacious spree of robberies targeting fast-food restaurants and retail stores, most famously by breaking in through their rooftops, earning him the nickname "Roofman" or "Rooftop Robber."

Manchester grew up in California and later joined the U.S. Army, serving with the 82nd Airborne Division. His mastery of practical skills learned in the military — like rappelling and stealth — proved instrumental in his criminal endeavors.

Over two years, Manchester robbed dozens of fast-food establishments such as McDonald’s and Burger Kings, typically entering through the roof overnight and confronting morning staff at gunpoint while maintaining a polite demeanor that made him infamous among victims and police. He would force employees to hand over money and typically lock them in the freezer.

Manchester was captured in North Carolina in May 2000 after robbing two McDonald's locations in one day. A silent alarm triggered by an employee led to his arrest, and he received a 45-year prison sentence for his crimes. While incarcerated, Manchester devised an elaborate escape plan. In 2004, he made a successful escape after scoping out how the trucks that came to the prison were searched before they left. He made a camouflage platform from plywood and cardboard and slipped it under the truck, then hid on top of it before the truck pulled out.

Driven miles away, Manchester fled the truck and hid in a Charlotte, North Carolina Toys "R" Us store for about six months. He survived by living in the back rooms, eating baby food and snacks, and monitoring employees' routines using baby monitors and surveillance systems. He later expanded his hideout to an adjacent, abandoned Circuit City, creating a hidden living space complete with a mattress, posters, and movies. Manchester developed an elaborate personal life during his time on the run, befriending churchgoers, assuming the alias "John Zorn," claiming to be a government agent, and dating a local woman, Leigh Wainscott.

Because of the sweet snacks he ate during his time in hiding, Manchester developed cavities and had to visit a dentist. When he realized he might be identified from his dental records, instead of stealing his records, Manchester burned down the entire dentist’s office, adding arson to his list of crimes. He also robbed a pawn shop to get a gun. On December 26, 2004, he robbed the Toys "R" Us, securing a substantial cash haul, but two employees managed to flee and alert the police. Officers soon discovered his makeshift hideout in Circuit City, finding evidence that included his only fingerprint, ironically on a DVD of Catch Me If You Can.

Police approached Leigh Wainscott, showing her a photo of Manchester, informing her she’d been dating a felon. Horrified, she learned that he was from California, not New York as he’d said, and that his name wasn’t John. Because it was her birthday, the police asked her to invite Manchester to her house for a birthday dinner. She phoned him to set up the date and he was met, flowers in hand, at her door by police. He surrendered peacefully.

Manchester was convicted on a number of additional charges, receiving another 40-year prison term on top of his previous sentence. He was transferred among several high-security North Carolina prisons and twice attempted further escapes, in 2009 and 2017. He is currently incarcerated at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina, with an expected release date in December 2036.

Manchester's story attracted media attention due to its surreal details and his polite, almost charming attitude, even while committing crimes. The case inspired the major motion picture Roofman starring Channing Tatum and although a few details are different, the movie mostly sticks to the facts. ~Alexandra Heilbron