CBS4 Exclusive: Miami Restaurant Owner Feels 'Violated' After Burglar Captured On Cam Ransacking Business
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – There's a safety alert about a man seen on surveillance tape burglarizing a Miami restaurant. Miami police are calling him "quite brazen" and the restaurant owner says he feels "violated."
CBS4's Peter D'Oench obtained the surveillance tape and spoke exclusively with Stefano Cavinato, the owner of the Coral House Italian restaurant at 1762 Coral Way.
Cavinato says the man broke in to his restaurant around 5:25 a.m. on Sunday and spent 10 minutes inside his business. He was captured on camera rummaging through the cash register and the business and Cavinato says he left with the safe and about $1,000 in cash.
The window he broke in through has been boarded up.
Cavinato said, "I know it can be risky doing business here but I love Coral Way. It is an up and coming area. Unfortunately, now I feel violated. This is our home. I consider it our home. And when someone breaks in to your home and takes what is yours it leaves an emotional scar. It is difficult walking in to your business in the morning and finding damage and property stolen."
"It has been difficult during the Pandemic," he said. "We opened up in March of 2020 and it was just three days after that when we had to shut down for awhile. So we have really suffered during the pandemic."
He said he was struck by the age of the burglar wearing a white baseball cap.
"He looks like he is a middle-aged man and about average weight and he looks like a professional. He just went for what was valuable and came out through the window without leaving any fingerprints and was peaceful like a professional thief."
Cavinato hopes this man will be captured.
"It is important to know that we can find whoever is responsible so we can make all of us feel secure in doing business in the area," he said.
Miami Police Officer Kiera Delva said, "This subject is quite brazen. Our detectives are working behind the scenes and around the clock to identify the subject that can be seen burglarizing this business. Obviously we have owners who work very hard and very long hours around the clock to make a living for themselves as well as their families. It is not fair that we have subjects who can do this to people, hard working people."
"We do have some tips for business owners," she said. "It is always a good idea for business owners to install surveillance camera which can help our detectives and just be mindful that if you are burglarized and if you arrive at your business and realize it was burglarized, try not to touch anything. Do not walk inside the business because you do not want to contaminate any sort of evidence. Contact the police and allow them to investigate."
Delva added, "We want to encourage residents and business owners to be very vigilant of your surroundings and be mindful that there are people out there to harm people and take what they want. Our detective are not taking this lightly at all. We continue to investigate and see if this man is connected to any other crimes in the area."
Delva said police have not received any reports of a rash of burglaries in the area.
If you can help find this burglar, call the Miami Police Burglary Unit at (305) 603-6030.