Thieves steal meat smoker from family-owned restaurant in northwest Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The hunt is connected for the thieves who stole brand-new cooking instrumentality from a Fresno business.

Willy's Phillys, a family-owned restaurant, utilized the caller cogwheel lone 1 clip earlier the thieves took disconnected with it.

Wilson Tadros cooks and grills up sandwiches for his customers astatine the West Herndon determination adjacent Highway 99,

Tadros said they hole astir 25 to 30 ample sandwiches a day.

"I'm preparing our Philly cheesesteak, the original," said Tadros.

On Monday, a motion that said "No BBQ today" was posted astatine the business.

That's due to the fact that idiosyncratic stole their brand-new smoker Sunday morning.

The smoker was parked extracurricular the building.

"Come into enactment yesterday morning, opening up, conscionable to get the time going," said Tadros, "I noticed it's not determination anymore."

Surveillance video captured a dark-colored motortruck driving disconnected with the smoker connected Sunday morning.

The video shows a antheral coming retired of the dark-colored pickup motortruck from the state pump.

Moments later, different idiosyncratic hooks up the smoker to the motortruck and drives off.

Tadros told Action News his kids bought the caller instrumentality arsenic a Christmas gift, which outgo astir $1,800.

Tadros was lone capable to usage the caller smoker erstwhile for a catering lawsuit earlier it was stolen.

He says the transgression hurts, and not conscionable due to the fact that of the fiscal impact.

"When you're doing thing similar that, and you navigator it from the heart, the nutrient tastes mode better," said Tadros. "That's what we similar to bash here."

Willy's Phillys had a catering occupation acceptable for Tuesday.

The theft is present forcing them to marque alternate plans.

Customers are shocked to perceive astir what happened to Willy's Phillys.

"I utilized to person a restaurant," said Sean Swayer, who came to bargain a sandwich. "I cognize however hard it tin beryllium to marque immoderate money, and it's a shame."

Fresno constabulary accidental they are alert of the situation, and detectives are looking into the case.

Police could not corroborate if the antheral and conveyance were progressive successful the theft since the probe is successful its aboriginal stages.

Tadros said helium believes that the antheral captured connected camera is responsible.

"If you privation to driblet it back, nary questions asked, we're chill with that," said Tadros. "We're good with that."

Anyone with accusation astir the theft is asked to interaction the Fresno Police Department.