The True Story of Jeffrey Manchester: The Escaped Prisoner Who Hid in a Toy Store

The film Roofman tells the extraordinary true story of Jeffrey Manchester, an army veteran who robbed over 40 McDonald’s locations by sawing through their roofs. Caught in 2000 and sentenced to 45 years, Manchester escaped in 2004 by hiding under a prison truck, then lived secretly inside a Toys “R” Us store in Charlotte for months. During his time in hiding, he built a makeshift nest and avoided detection with video baby monitors. He also integrated into the local community by attending church and dating Leigh Moore, a single mother unaware of his criminal past. The movie, starring Channing Tatum as Manchester and Kirsten Dunst as Moore, was created with input from people who knew Manchester and carefully recreated the Toys “R” Us environment. The film explores themes of deception, survival, and remorse. Moore, who now speaks to Manchester regularly in prison, reflects on the complicated feelings and newfound openness about this chapter in her life. Manchester remains imprisoned and is scheduled for release in 2036 but shows remorse for his past actions. This gripping story, blending crime, comedy, and drama, hits US cinemas now and will be available in the UK and Australia on October 17.