Police Arrest ‘Rock Burglar’ in Murfreesboro

Persistent old-fashioned police work by Murfreesboro Police Department officers, detectives, and crime data analysts led to the arrest of the man known to law enforcement as the ‘Rock Burglar.’

Jalen Ellison, 28, was taken into custody after an attempted break-in at Koji Express Japanese Grill, 1010 Memorial Blvd., on Friday morning, June 17. He currently faces two counts of burglary to a business. Additional charges are possible.

The preliminary investigation shows an officer patrolling the area noticed a broken glass on the ground next to the drive-thru around 5 a.m. A rock had been thrown through one pane of a double-pane glass door. The burglar did not enter the restaurant.

Another officer saw Ellison getting into a car Maple Street behind the business and conducted a probable cause traffic stop. He was arrested and taken to police headquarters and interviewed.

Ellison may be responsible for at least 41 business break-ins since Nov. 23. in Murfreesboro. One of the latest break-ins occurred at Andy Frozen Custard on Franklin Road on Thursday, June 16. at 4 a.m. Evidence related to that break-in was found in his car.

Ellison has been booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.