In surveillance video from Coffee Importers, two suspects are seen breaking a window just before 4:30 a.m. One man then picks up his accomplice by the feet and shoves him through a small order window.
"I think they were looking for fast money, quick money, easy money, and they thought the registers may have money, and they could pick up a couple hundred bucks real fast," said Jim Miller, owner of Coffee Importers. "I don't think it was too well planned out."
One suspect, seen wearing a reflective vest and hard hat, used a crowbar on the cash register - even though there's a key in the lock to easily open it. He soon realized there's no money, and with the alarm blaring, the suspect kicked the front door open and fled.
At the El Torito upstairs, investigators are trying to figure out if anything was taken from cash registers. The restaurant was burglarized around the same time. There were signs of an attempted break-in at Harpoon Henry's Seafood Restaurant right next door.
Authorities suspect the same duo hit another nearby business, smashing through the front door of Jon's Fish Market.
"It's been a big hassle," said Sharon Mansur, co-owner of Jon's Fish Market.
The co-owner says one suspect damaged cash registers, smashed security cameras and used a crowbar to steal the safe, which was cemented to the floor. It was a lot of work, again with no return.
"They did get pretty much in and out when they realized there wasn't any money," Mansur said.
One suspect was wearing a red jacket, and the other looked like a construction worker, but that may have been a disguise, according to Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.
So far, there's no description of a getaway vehicle, but if you recognize the suspects or have any information, call Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.
