HOUSTON – The owners of a San Antonio barbecue joint turned to GoFundMe for help after seeing all of their meat was stolen from their restaurant storage last week, San Antonio Express-News reported.
Samuel Ransom, one of the co-owners of 225° Urban Smoke showed up to work last week to see an empty storage room where workers usually store cases of brisket meat, pork, poultry, cheese, vegetables, and milk.
Recommended Videos
Security cameras showed multiple thieves breaking into the restaurant at around 2:30 a.m., leaving two hours later with boxes full of food.
“I was so shocked. We couldn’t even open the next day," Ransom told San Antonio Express-News, "we were running around like a circus trying to get bread and products to open up because we didn’t want to let them win.”
Posted by 225 Urban Smoke LLC on Thursday, April 30, 2020
He and his co-owner estimated the losses to be between $12,000 and $15,000. Authorities say the suspects are still on the run.
The restaurant, which opened last June, struggled during the coronavirus pandemic as they had to lay off most of their staff.
A GoFundMe account was created last week to raise funds to replace all the items stolen. So far, only $1,734 was raised from a $15,000 goal.
Ransom said the support from his local customers had been above and beyond, as they take advantage of curbside ordering and delivery. Since the incident, phone lines went through the roof for orders.
“It’s eye-opening and humbling to see people rally around us and help us during this time,” he said, “People are coming in and ordering a ton of food and just showing us love. It lets you know that there are still good people out there.”