DURHAM — Shoppers at Northgate Mall in Durham received quite a lunchtime surprise.
Just before noon Thursday, a 800-pound crane ball crashed through the roof, narrowly missing one man. The mall is in the middle of a $6 million renovation project.
Crane operators are placing a steel structure on the roof for a new skylight, but the company doing the work says they were not on the job Thursday because of the weather.
"We had a vandal get inside our crane and play around, and the padlock ball was released," says crane safety director Chuck Murdock.
Witnesses say they saw a young man in the crane trying to work the equipment. When the ball fell they say he left the area. Safety experts are not sure how he got inside.



![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/share/2012/02/09/10711513/4f348e7981bb5-51x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/out_and_about/2012/02/04/10712136/pics_agunn53833-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/2012/02/11/10719067/10719072-1329050037-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717011/10717011-1328936455-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717059/10717059-1328939591-100x75.jpg)







WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.
This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.