Man arrested after falling through ceiling of store

Police in Lexington, Kentucky, routinely arrest burglary suspects who break into businesses through the ceiling. Usually a would-be burglar waits until the store is closed. Police said that wasn't the case at the Eastland Shopping Center, where employees at Roses department store heard someone shuffling around above the drop-tile ceiling just after lunchtime on Wednesday.
After officers searched for about a half-hour, Paul Masters, 47, fell through the ceiling and wrestled with officers waiting in the store below, police said. After a brief hospital visit, Masters was charged with first-degree burglary and fleeing or evading police. "This is very uncommon for something like this to occur at 1 o'clock in the afternoon," Lexington police Lt. Sam Murdock said.

"This is typically the type of crime we would see usually in the early-morning hours when businesses are closed and there are not a lot of pedestrians or patrons present." Police aren't sure why Masters was in the ceiling. He told police "he was retrieving money for a friend," Murdock said. However, police did not find any money in the attic where Masters was accused of milling around. They did find a hat, gloves and a pry bar, Murdock said.

Police say Masters then fell several feet through the ceiling and into the store. He was injured, but still tried to get away forcing officers to use their tasers. One officer was injured, but police say it was minor. Masters was taken to the hospital after injuring his face, but now he's in jail on burglary and fleeing and evading charges. They believe he got into the attic space after climbing through an access point in the bathroom.