Burglar steals cash register from Atascadero restaurant

September 12, 2017

 

A burglar broke into a Mexican restaurant in Atascadero on Monday and stole the cash register, surveillance footage shows.

Shortly after 5 a.m., the thief was captured by surveillance video entering Garcia’s Restaurant, which is located at 9550 El Camino Real. The man, who was wearing a hat and a bandana over his face, grabbed hold of the cash register, ripping it off a counter and darting off.

KSBY reports a person later found the register dumped along Highway 101 near Home Depot and reported it to Atascadero police. Officers recovered the register, which was broken and had no money inside.

Carlos Ramirez, the owner of Garcia’s Restaurant, said there was probably only about $30 inside the register at the time it was stolen. However, the register was worth about $1,500, and the broken glass at the front of the restaurant will cost $500 to repair.

Monday’s theft was the second time in the last three weeks that a burglar stole a cash register from a North County restaurant. On Aug. 24, Nicholas Allen Mueller of Atascadero allegedly broke into a Paso Robles KFC and stole the restaurant’s register. Mueller evaded police for several days but was arrested after he showed up again at the same KFC.