Federal Way restaurant owner pleads for help after five break-ins in three months
Burglars hit one Federal Way business five times in close to three months and now the business owners and even customers call on city officials for help.
The manager, whose family owns the Puerto Vallarta restaurant, said they’ve felt neglected by police.
The manager said after the initial police reports were taken on the days of the break-ins, the department went radio silent.
Federal Way’s Chief of Police said the department is doing its job investigation-wise, but he admits they could have pulled the curtain back a little more.
“There’s quite a bit of work that was done. I guess we fell short communicating that with the business owner but as soon as it came to my attention we made contact,” said Federal Way’s Police Chief Andy Hwang.
Chief Hwang said he gets why businesses, like Puerto Vallarta, feel like they’re left on the back burner after burglars repeatedly breached the restaurant’s walls between February 8th and May 27th. Each break-in comes with thousands in damages.
“From ripping the walls out and the booths and all that from the ATM to just a few hundred bucks each time they break in to steal alcohol, repairing the windows,” said Puerto Vallarta Manager Edgar Vega.
After each of those burglaries, Federal Way officers have come to take a report and collect evidence then they leave without further contact.
The business’ frustrations are also being felt by more than people on the payroll. A customer made a plea during the July 5th City Council meeting, asking the city to do something to make the break-ins stop or catch the people responsible.
“If you can’t pursue and you can’t follow up, they’re just responding. They’re not reacting they’re responding,” he said.
Chief Hwang said they can and will try to keep victims in the loop more with the investigation going forward.
He also said, that in the Puerto Vallarta case, they’re also staying quiet because they’re waiting on updates as well.
“They actually collected DNA evidence on that incident, so we still have that at the Washington State crime lab. We’re still waiting for results on that,” said Chief Hwang.
Chief Hwang also said the department has emphasis patrols out now to try and prevent break-ins.
They’re also asking anyone with information on the break-ins at Puerto Vallarta to give them a call.
