Booze Burglar Charged, Busts Through Restaurant Wall To Steal Bottles of Liquor

Cargo Café in Staten Island, NY (Photo: Google Street View)

A New York man busts through the wall of a Staten Island restaurant to steal bottles of booze, the owner says. Local news recently talked to the owner of the business where the incident occurred late last month. 

According to the criminal complaint and police report, officers found the 39-year-old Felix Taveras holding a laundry bag containing about seven bottles of alcohol. He was standing near the restaurant’s cash register and attempting to open it. 

Owner Michael Musto said he watched Taveras’s attempted theft on the restaurant’s security cameras from home after getting an alert.

The restaurant has several windows that the man could have used to enter the premises. However, Musto explains that the window the suspect broke using a rock had an interior wall behind it. 

“He broke the glass, realized there was a wall behind it and proceeded to break down the wall,” said Musto.

Musto continues, “He left, he came back, he thought he had it made. And then he came back with this big laundry bag.” 

The repairs cost around $1,500, Musto said. He explained he wanted the damages fixed quickly to make sure his customers were comfortable. 

“I didn’t want my customers to see that eyesore. I didn’t want them to worry that they can’t come here anymore because it’s not safe,” Musto said. 

Musto was also disappointed because the attempted theft felt personal. 

“I take care of everybody in the neighborhood,” Musto said. “I feed them when they come in, I give them a cup of coffee. So, it’s a little personal.”

Musto continued, “we knew [the suspect] from coming in here and asking for things, like food.” 

In addition to the booze, police reported that Taveras had a ski mask, a wrench and a screwdriver inside his backpack. Also, police also recovered drugs on the suspect’s person.

Taveras has since been charged with burglary, possession of burglar tools, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal mischief, attempted petit larceny and trespass according to silive.com.

He is due to appear in court on Jan. 12 but Taveras is out of jail and under supervision, according to public records.

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