Jeff Bud, the owner of Apocalypse BBQ, a restaurant located in Kendall, became a victim of burglary early Tuesday morning. He has announced a reward of $10,000 for anyone who provides reliable information about the thief's identity. "Unfortunately, at 2:30 AM last Tuesday, someone broke into our kitchen, accessed the safe and cash register, and stole between $6,000 and $10,000," Bud told America Tevé.
"I'm putting $10,000 of my own money to ensure this doesn't happen to any other restaurant in the community. If it happened to us, it could happen elsewhere. We have community support and resources to withstand a hit like this, but if it happens to a place without those means, it could destroy someone's dreams," added the restaurant owner.
Security camera footage showed an individual completely covered, including gloves, managing to steal thousands of dollars in just five minutes. The next day, upon entering the restaurant located at 104th Street and 99th Avenue in the southwest, staff noticed the money was missing. After reviewing the footage, they confirmed they had been robbed.
"I was in shock because the video shows the person knew exactly where everything was. Obviously, this makes us think it must be someone familiar with our operations, which leads us to question who could have done it," commented Sara Uran, a waitress at the restaurant.
A significant portion of the stolen money consisted of the waitstaff's tips from the previous week. In response, the owner decided to cover that amount to avoid impacting his employees. "I'm very grateful for that, I didn't expect it. But working here, we always have the support of the manager and the community; we're like a family. It's comforting that he's willing to do something like this for his team," expressed waitress Sara Uran.
Jeff Bud founded his business during the pandemic, and today, Apocalypse BBQ is considered a successful restaurant. Despite the incident, the team at Apocalypse BBQ hopes the responsible party or parties will be caught and brought to justice soon.
FAQs about the Apocalypse BBQ Robbery
Below are some frequently asked questions regarding the burglary at Apocalypse BBQ and the ongoing investigation.
What is the reward offered for information about the thief?
Jeff Bud is offering a $10,000 reward for reliable information leading to the identification of the thief.
How much money was stolen from Apocalypse BBQ?
Between $6,000 and $10,000 was stolen from the restaurant.
How did the thief manage to steal the money?
The thief broke into the kitchen, accessed the safe and cash register, and managed to steal the money in just five minutes.
How has the community responded to this incident?
The community and the team at Apocalypse BBQ have shown strong support, with the owner covering the stolen tips to ensure his employees are not affected.