Thieves steal rent check from Warwick restaurant
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — An investigation is underway after three men stole from a Warwick restaurant Monday.
by: Sarah Bawden
El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant shared surveillance footage of the trio sitting at the bar in a social media post Tuesday afternoon.
In the surveillance footage, one of the men could be seen swiping an envelope off of the nearby hostess stand and sliding it into the front pocket of his sweatshirt.
El Tapatio manager Pedro Barajas Jr. didn’t notice the check was missing until the next day, which is when he reviewed the surveillance footage.
He was shocked to see the men conspiring to snag the check as soon as the bartender turned his back.
“You never want to jump to conclusions, so it’s better to have concrete evidence,” he explained.
Barajas told 12 News the $4,500 check was intended to cover the restaurant’s rent.
“Just a few months ago we were going through some tough times,” Barajas said. “If this had happened then — that $4,500 is enough to wipe a business out … you can lose your livelihood.”
Barajas immediately notified the Warwick Police Department, which is actively investigating the theft.
Though Barajas is certain the restaurant will recover from the loss, he’s issuing a warning to other nearby businesses.
“I’m just letting other business owners know to keep an eye out and make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he said. “That’s what I’m very worried about.”
Anyone who can identify the suspects or has any additional information regarding the theft is asked to contact the Warwick Police Department by calling (401) 468-4200.