Burglar caught on video hit numerous espresso stands, police say

SEATTLE -- Detectives say a thief broke into several espresso stands using a pickax and disguising his face with a net mask, but surveillance video captured several crimes.

Lisa Rockwell owns the Mocha Mojo espresso stand on Roxbury in White Center. She said her stand was one of a handful burglarized by the same man.

Rockwell said, "The amount they stole for just that one night adds up to probably a days’ worth of sales. On top of that, I have to replace the door and had to replace the padlocks."



Surveillance video from one of the espresso stands shows the entire crime. The thief broke in and ransacked the entire business -- stealing cash and product before running away. The whole time he is wearing a white net to cover his face.

King County sheriff's Sgt. Stan Seo said, "It’s very unique. And it’s helpful to us from an investigation perspective because it’s very unique and identifiable. And that’s what obviously helped us allow us to tie everything together."

Other baristas tell us they are always thinking about the possibility of becoming a victim in a robbery because they deal with cash.

Authorities say the best thing to do is to use as many layers of security as possible for your home or business. Locks, alarms and cameras can scare a thief away.