CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Padre Island restaurant became the target of thieves late Monday night breaking in and leaving lots of damage, even making off with an ATM machine!
Despite it all, the owner said it wasn't going to stop him from opening up and serving customers.
Costa Sur is located off Park Road 22 near Whitecap Boulevard.
Owner Nicolas Mackrizz, who is always on the go, is expecting a packed weekend brought on by Spring Break.
Most days you'll find him in the kitchen of his own restaurant hard at work even during an interview with 3NEWS.
"No, no nothing stops us, never," he said.
Not even a break in.
Nicolas believes the crime took place in the cover of night.
He called police when he arrived to work and found the front door shattered.
"I walked in thinking everything was going to be gone, TVs, liquor, my inventory," he said.
Instead the crooks had their eye on something else.
Once the culprits were able to get through that glass door they made their way to just behind the hostess stand, where there was an ATM machine set up, somehow able to grab it and take off.
Nicolas boarded up the door, cleaned up and turned on his open sign to welcome customers who couldn't believe what happened.
"That's crazy, that's brave, on the island you don't hear too much about crime other than what happens on the beach," said Patrick Esqueda who brought his family to the restaurant for dinner.
Nicolas is now evaluating just how much all the damage and the ATM will put him out-of-pocket. He said there was roughly $1,000 inside the ATM.
"Luckily I didn't have too much cash in there," Nicholas said. "I think they went through a whole lot more hassle than what they got out of it. It was heavy, must have been 2 people to drag it out, they cut themselves in the process, had blood all over the place, hopefully we get a match and get them in custody."
He said he's since updated his security system and is now just focused on the days in front of him.
"We got to make money and it's Spring Break," he said.
If you have any information on the crime, call CCPD.
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