A coordinated theft, with the use of power tools, occurred March 11 between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. as at least two suspects broke into six restaurants in Rancho Santa Margarita and one in Mission Viejo.
The suspects are still at large, according to authorities.
Restaurant surveillance footage captured at least two suspects who used the tools to break into locked safes. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, they stole those that were not anchored to the ground.
The manager of Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Daniel Gorman, told The Epoch Times his store was one of those burglarized, and the video authorities are using, in part, to identify the suspects came from the restaurant’s security system.
In the footage, suspects are seen arriving in a white Lincoln Navigator before fleeing shortly after the break-in. Gorman said the store suffered mostly damages.
“Our safe is a little bigger. I don’t think they were expecting to see a safe our size,” he said. “We had shattered glass. We have some safe damage from them trying to get into our safe, but that’s basically it.”
La Fiesta Mexican Grill and New Lake Asian House—which are adjacent to Mountain Mike’s Pizza on the 22000 block of Antonio Parkway—and Lulu’s Café, across the street, were also broken into, according to Gorman.
Luna Grill, on the 30000 block of Avenida de Las Flores was additionally confirmed, by a Sheriff Department spokesperson, as one of the restaurants burglarized.
In Mission Viejo, a 15-minute drive from Mountain Mike’s, Oggi’s Sports Brewhouse located on the 24000 block of Alicia Parkway was also broken into, according to Gorman.
On Jan. 11, five eateries were also broken into along the same stretch of Avenida de Las Flores in Rancho Santa Margarita, where suspects broke windows and opened cash registers in search of money.
Authorities could not immediately verify if the suspects in January’s burglaries have been apprehended.
