Open less than one month, Alfonso and Saul Morales had begun to grow a steady customer base at 226 Main Street in Downtown Historic Vista, only to have their restaurant vandalized over the weekend. Alfonso, one of the managers of the restaurant, said he felt like the restaurant was targeted as the person who did this seemed to be only interested in inflicting damage to the outside and interior of the restaurant, not stealing anything.
The crime is said to have happened sometime after 2 am on Sat. night/Sunday morning. The assailant broke the outside windows of the restaurant using one of their chairs to throw through the windows, also trying to kick through the door, a boot print found on the door. Inside the restaurant tables were thrown around the restaurant, many turned upside down, chairs were broken, a large screen T.V. that showed the menu was broken, the cash register area was damaged, the credit card system thrown on the floor and stepped on, a coffee pot thrown against the wall, several chairs’ seats cut with a knife, and cables for the internet system ripped out of the wall. It appears the perpetrator entered the kitchen area but did no damage to the kitchen.
When asked if there had been any altercations with any of the customers, Alfonso and Saul said absolutely not, everything had been very positive since their opening. He said they had not been able to install cameras yet, but they are being installed now. Asking employees of the Vista Village Pub, the restaurant’s next-door neighbor, employees were not in the Pub at that time, but their cleaning company personnel thought they heard noises but only were aware of the incident after the criminal had left and they saw the damage to the front. Employees of the Los Reyes de la Tortilla market and eatery said they had heard some noises that night but thought it was coming from the Pub. Everyone interviewed was shocked that this had occurred.
The Sheriff’s Department responded, giving Alfonso and Saul an incident report at 3:20 am. when the brothers had been notified. Detectives will be looking at any camera video they can locate to see if it shows any activity on the streets at the time the break-in is thought to have occurred. Alfonso said he is meeting with detectives on Wednesday morning.
Anyone who may have been at this location on Main Street late last Saturday night/Sunday morning and may have any information, video or witnessed the break-in is encouraged to contact the Vista Sheriff’s Department and assist in getting the person responsible arrested. Any business owners who have cameras located facing Main Street are also encouraged to check their video to see what is shown at the suspected time of the break-in. Call 760-940-4551 or 858-565-5200 if you have any information to help with the arrest of the person responsible for this crime.
