No arrests have been made as police review the surveillance footage and work to identify the suspect.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Arlington police are investigating after they say a restaurant was broken into and cash was stolen.
Arlington police said they responded to Gilberto’s Taco Shop in the 600 block of W. Park Row Drive shortly after midnight Tuesday.
The restaurant’s owner, Jose Ruiz, told WFAA he was home when the burglary unfolded. He received an alert that his alarm at the restaurant was triggered.
Moments later, he viewed surveillance footage and saw a shadow breaking through his restaurant’s glass front doors. Ruiz felt his stomach sink when he realized it was a burglary.
“It’s hard to explain. I was nervous,” Ruiz said. “Deep down, I was hoping they wouldn’t mess up my restaurant.”
When they arrived, police said they saw the front glass door had been shattered and two cash drawers were missing.
Ruiz said he usually keeps between $200 to $300 in the two cash drawers to make opening the restaurant easier in the morning. The suspect got away with up to $300.
“I’m upset, but everything happens for a reason. I can’t let it get to me,” Ruiz said.
Police are reviewing surveillance footage and working to identify the suspect. No arrests have been made as of Tuesday afternoon.
The shop said in a post on Instagram that, “it only took him two minutes to get in and out, which suggests he likely has experience and may be targeting other businesses in the area.”
A spokesperson for Arlington PD told WFAA that police haven’t determined whether the suspect is connected to other crimes in the area.
Ruiz said the community showed up in droves to support his business on Tuesday after they learned his business was broken into.
“I’m grateful it just means a lot that the community’s here to support me,” Ruiz said.
Gilberto’s Taco Shop has another location at 112 E. Abram’s Street in Arlington, according to their website.