Last Thursday morning brought troubling news to the Scripps Ranch community as Yanni's Bar & Grill became the latest victim in a series of burglaries targeting local businesses. As reported by FOX 5 San Diego, thieves broke into the restaurant and stole $3,300 in cash after forcing entry into a locked office, a crime that is becoming increasingly common across San Diego County.
The owner, Yannis Pihas, awakened by a phone alert, initially mistook the burglars for the cleaning crew before realizing the grave reality upon checking the surveillance, "They had face masks, they had hoodies. I was in very deep sleep, but I woke up in a hurry and called the police," Pihas told FOX 5 San Diego, expressing a shattering sense of vulnerability even with security measures in place; meanwhile, the thieves, professionals by the looks of it, had made their escape before the arrival of the police and the vehicle’s license plates being stolen complicating the investigation.
While the suspects are still at large, San Diego Police have a lead from a license plate number caught on camera, albeit attached to a stolen vehicle. Yanni's Bar & Grill also took to social media to address the incident and thank law enforcement. The restaurant expressed gratitude for the "incredibly fast response" of the San Diego Police Department and urged fellow businesses to "stay vigilant and keep an eye out."
Pihas emphasized the need for community and caution among business owners, with the perpetrators still on the run. Pihas exhorted, "You have the cameras, you have the alarm system — you think that you’re safe," he said to FOX 5 San Diego, lamenting the false sense of security and underscoring the harsh reality facing entrepreneurs, and the need to abstain from leaving cash within their premises after hours.
