Police: Ceiling-hiding Raleigh bar burglar struck three times

Raleigh police on Saturday released photos of a burglar who hid in the ceiling of a Raleigh bar and restaurant and a woman who helped him.

Police said the first incident happened at The Goat, 5111 Western Blvd., on March 14.

Surveillance video shows a woman letting a man into the bar through a side door around 1:30 a.m., police said. The two went into the ladies' restroom, but only the woman came out.

Shortly before daybreak, police said, bartenders still at work heard a loud noise, then a man ran by them. He left the bar and got into a white, four-door vehicle headed toward Raleigh along Western Boulevard.

"It is believed that the suspect decided to flee empty-handed after deciding that the employees intended to stay at the business," police spokesman Jim Sughrue said in a statement.

Nothing was stolen in that incident, but police believe the ceiling-hiding burglar was successful in two later attempts.

On March 18, the owner found that the nearby Ba-Da Wings restaurant, 161 Avent Ferry Road, had been burglarized overnight, police said. Cash, flat-screen TVs, liquor and a computer that stored surveillance video were stolen. A jukebox, computer touch-screen game, phone card machine and ATM were damaged.

Employees opening up The Goat discovered a similar burglary on March 20, police said. About $6,000 in cash, a safe, three computers and an iPod were stolen. A cash register, liquor bottles and a video game were damaged.

Anyone who recognizes either suspect or has information that might help detectives investigating the case is asked to call Raleigh Crime Stoppers at 919-834-4357. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards for tips that solve cases.