Atlanta

Thieves ransack restaurant, steal $10k in TVs, alcohol and cash owner says

ATLANTA — A local business owner said he's out more than $100,000 after thieves ransacked his restaurant.

Surveillance cameras captured the group of robbers ransacking Johnny M's Pizza Bistro near the Atlanta University Center last month.

Channel 2's Michael Seiden talked to owner Johnny Moms about the thousands of dollars in valuables the thieves stole.

Mims grew up in the neighborhood near the Atlanta University Center and has been investing in the community for decades.

But late last month, one of his businesses took a major hit.

"There's a whole gang of them, and they stole 22 TVs, they stole all the alcohol," Mims said. "They were just trashing the place. They stole my safe. They stole so many things."

So far, no one has been arrested, but Mims thinks some of the thieves in the footage are his neighbors and that they may be responsible for other crimes in the area.

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Mims said that after disabling the security cameras and alarm, the crooks spent several hours inside the pizza bistro, ripping televisions off the walls and damaging the property.

So far, police have not made any arrests.

"We're talking over $100,000 worth of damage and product," Mims said. "It breaks my heart that the same guys who did it are still walking up and down the streets."

Mims is hoping to re-open his business by the end of the year.

"It's more than just the things that they took, because they're chipping away at our whole livelihood," Mims said.

Seiden spoke to two other entrepreneurs who have businesses near Johnny's, and they had similar stories about how burglars hit their buildings.

Mims said it's gotten so bad that his insurance company is no longer providing coverage. He hopes he can work with police to find a solution.