MACON, Ga. — A Macon restaurant owner was preparing to open a second location, but suddenly most of his kitchen equipment disappeared.
"Over $20,000 worth of stuff is just gone, and I have no way financially to replace it," said James Duncombe, the owner of Tropical Flava in Ingleside Village.
He woke up Friday morning ready to load up equipment for the new Warner Robins location of his restaurant. He hasn't been to the warehouse for about a week and when he got there, it was gone.
"Anything you could imagine in a kitchen... that you would need in a restaurant, we had it here," said Duncombe.
Things like a freezer, steam tables, kettles, utensils, pots, pans, even bottled water. You name it, the thieves took it.
Duncombe says there were security cameras rolling, so now they are working through the footage to identify suspects.
He says whoever stole the equipment broke in through the window, which had bars on it. Once they got inside, they broke open the door to haul the equipment out. There are even shoe scuff marks.
Duncombe doesn't know when he can open his new location, which was originally supposed to open in April.
"I can't believe this is actually happening to us," he said.
The Bibb County Sheriff's Office says they're investigating. Anyone with information can call them at 478-751-7500.