MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A clumsy burglar broke into a popular Midtown restaurant through the ceiling, fell into their fryer and left his oily tennis shoe behind.

Police said the man vandalized Peggy’s Heavenly Home Cooking and stole more than $3,000 Tuesday night.

But from the outside, you’d never know Peggy’s was broken into.

That’s because the burglar did not come in through a door or window.

He dropped in through the ventilation system.

“This is his shoe that fell inside the deep fryer,” cook Jerry Moore said, holding it up.

We fry a lot of things here in the Mid-South, but a tennis shoe is a new one for employees at Peggy’s.

“One shoe! We’re only talking about one shoe! You would have thought he’d grab it and try to take it with him,” employee Demetrius Woodbridge laughed.

Employees at Peggy’s restaurant on S. Cleveland said a burglar slid from the roof through the ventilation system and landed smack dab in the fryer.

“Doesn’t seem like the smartest guy,” Woodbridge said.

The burglar actually stole a pair of the owner’s shoes she had left at the restaurant, smashed open the cash register and stole $3,000 before climbing out the window.

“The whole ventilation system has to be replaced,” General Manager Wanda Pluitt said.

The restaurant has insurance that will cover the damages, but unfortunately the security cameras were not recording at the time.

Peggy’s employees just hoped they’re able to reopen soon.

“I’ve been working for this family for about six years,” Woodbridge said. “They took care of me, and I’m here to take care of them in their time of need.”

Peggy’s hoped to reopen their restaurant on South Cleveland by Tuesday.