A Pittsboro business is turning to the public for help in identifying a person caught on security footage breaking and entering early Friday morning.

Al’s Diner on West Street shared a post on Facebook Saturday detailing the crime, saying someone used a crowbar on the restaurant’s door to break in around 4:30 a.m. on Friday. Photos from an interior Ring camera showed a person wearing a grey or blue hoodie pulled over their head, a mask over their face and olive green pants.

Security camera footage of the break-in suspect in Al’s Diner on Friday, April 25, 2025. The local business is asking people to try and identify the person. (Photo via Al’s Diner on Facebook.)

(Photo via Al’s Diner on Facebook.)

The splintered door of Al’s Diner where the person entered the restaurant. (Photo via Al’s Diner on Facebook.)

The post did not describe whether anything was stolen from the diner, but the police report filed by the its owners listed a cordless drill as being the lone property taken in addition to the damaged door. Additionally, photos shared by Al’s Diner indicated the suspect opened cabinets and supplies were strewn out on its floor.

The social media post requested community members who may recognize the person or their clothes to get in touch with Al’s Diner or the Pittsboro Police Department. The restaurant recommended reaching out through private messages on social media or calling the non-emergency line for Pittsboro Police (919-542-3481), indicating that information leading to the suspect’s identification could be rewarded with food and “unlimited gratitude.”

Al’s Diner — known for its retro styling and daily menu rotation of diner classics — has operated in Pittsboro for decades and is now is owned by Wes and Chasidy Parker, who bought the restaurant in 2022. Despite the break-in, the diner posted on Facebook that it was open for business as usual on Friday and Saturday.

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