A garden center in Donelson, Tennessee, was the unlikely scene of a bizarre burglary when an intruder wearing a Pennywise mask from Stephen King’s IT broke into the store.
Burglar in Pennywise mask breaks into garden center
The masked burglar, armed with a flashlight and clad in a blue jacket paired with red track pants, snuck into the garden center during a rainy night last week.
According to local news reports from News Channel 5 Nashville, the unidentified creepy clown entered the property by kicking in a back fence at JVI Secret Gardens, a popular local garden center.
The intruder’s Pennywise mask, which featured wild orange hair and a menacing grin, closely mirrored the infamous killer clown from King’s horror novels and films.
His spooky disguise did nothing to mask his intentions, as he shuffled around the store in search of items to steal.
Derek Johnson, the store’s owner, recounted the strange series of events that night. Johnson was alerted to the break-in by a business partner, who was watching live footage from the store’s security cameras.
“Hey, there’s someone at the garden center wearing a white mask, you need to get up there right now,” Johnson’s partner urged him.
But after seeing the chilling figure on camera, Johnson thought twice about confronting the masked intruder in person.
“I said, ‘Nope, I’m not going up there,’” Johnson recalled, admitting that even he was spooked by the eerie sight of the Pennywise mask.
Instead of rushing to the scene, Johnson decided to take a different approach: He attempted to communicate with the thief through the store’s intercom system.
Owner spooks thief in Pennywise mask
In an unexpected twist, the noise from the speaker startled the masked intruder. Johnson said the burglar reacted immediately, looking around before quickly fleeing the scene.
“When I clicked the speaker, I think it made a noise, and he acknowledged it and said, ‘I’m leaving’ and jetted,” Johnson told reporters.
Despite his hasty departure, the creepy clown intruder managed to grab a circular saw blade before escaping.
The masked thief also attempted to steal a propane tank but ultimately left it behind, likely spooked by the sudden noise from the intercom.
While the sight of a burglar in a Pennywise mask disguise may be a first for JVI Secret Gardens, this was not the first time the store has been targeted by thieves.
Johnson revealed that the garden center has suffered a string of break-ins over the past few months.
“I feel like it may be the same individual because we had another tank like that stolen six months ago,” Johnson said.
In that earlier break-in, thieves also stole a tool bag and entered the property through the same area of the fence that was breached during the most recent incident.
Johnson is frustrated by the repeated thefts but was ultimately relieved that no one was hurt during the break-in.
“I’m processing,” he noted. This is a sweet little garden center. It’s Donelson. I really don’t know why people would break into a garden center of all places.”
Authorities are still investigating the break-in, and local police have not yet identified any suspects.
Johnson said the recent string of burglaries has prompted him to consider installing additional security cameras around the property to deter future incidents.
Masked thieves make off with $150,000 in cash
In another recent case, the Atlanta Police Department (APD) released CCTV footage showing two suspects breaking into a check-cashing business in the city on September 3.
According to Fox 5, the suspects entered Atlanta Check Cashiers through the ceiling, shocking a female employee.
The CCTV footage reveals the intruders dropping down from the ceiling, startling the employee and forcing her to the ground.
One suspect can be seen reaching out to the woman, while the second thief rummages through her belongings.
The two men then lead the employee to a back room, where they demand that she unlock a safe containing cash.
After stuffing the money into a bag, the suspects exit the business through a back door, making off with approximately $150,000 in cash, according to authorities.
Despite the high value theft, both suspects remain at large, and the police continue to investigate.
