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Thief Steals 40-Pound Safe from Milwaukee Restaurant: A Cautionary Tale

Thief Breaks Into Milwaukee Restaurant, Steals 40-pound Safe

Most people leave a restaurant with a full stomach and perhaps a container with some leftovers to enjoy later.

And then some people walk out with a 40-pound safe.

Reporter Hannah Hilyard of WISN 12 News shared the story of a thief breaking into a Milwaukee restaurant and stealing a 40-pound safe. Caught on security video, the man entered Puerto Rican restaurant La Caribeña and meticulously searched every cabinet behind the bar until he hit the jackpot, locating the safe. The owner of La Caribeña, Edwin Ordonez, confirmed the loss of thousands of dollars in cash as well as other important documents that were in the safe.

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Could This Happen to You?

You have a burglar-rated or a U.L. fire-rated safe at your office, business, warehouse, or even your home to protect your cash, documents, flash drives, digital media, and valuables. You've installed a security system including cameras. And you've made sure all the doors have secure locks. Awesome!

But as the above story highlights, a thief with enough muscles (or friends) may be able to carry your safe right out of the building. If a safe isn't bolted to a wall, floor, or immovable surface, it won't do you any good.

The Break In

Security footage of a thief breaking into La Caribeña restaurant
A thief broke into Puerto Rican restaurant La Caribeña in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Seeking the Goods

Security footage of the thief searching cabinets behind the bar
Security video showed the burglar scouring through each cabinet behind the bar. "He went through every single one until he got lucky and hit the jackpot," La Caribeña owner Edwin Ordonez said.

Carrying the Safe Out

Security footage of the thief carrying the 40-pound safe out of the restaurant
Security footage shows the thief push the bulky and heavy safe before they picked it up and left through the doors they busted to get in.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Safe

The simplest way to protect yourself and your safe is to bolt it to a solid surface like the floor or wall. It's a lot harder to carry off a safe with a wall attached.

Most safes have anchor holes to bolt to the floor. If the safe is fire rated, it won't have holes to bolt to a wall because that would void the fire rating. The safe professionals at Safe and Vault Store are product experts as well as experts at installation. We can walk you through installation from start to finish and offer practical tips on how and where to mount it.

Another option is to install a vault door, which greatly enhances the security of any room or closet. Thick steel construction and easy installation make this an excellent and affordable way to protect not only your safe, but the entire room from theft. Our team is happy to answer all your questions about vault doors.

Explore the Huge Selection at SafeandVaultStore.com

If you're looking for your first safe or need to upgrade to a larger one, help is just a click away. At SafeandVaultStore.com, we are one of the nation's top online retailers for safes and vaults. For small business owners to homeowners, we offer everything from burglar-rated safes and fire-rated and waterproof safes in convenient sizes to safe deposit boxes and even floor safes.

Ready to Protect Your Business or Home?

Our safe professionals will help you pick a burglar-rated safe or vault door that fits your space, and walk you through anchoring it so no one carries it out. About 10 minutes on the phone.

Call 800-207-2259

Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST

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