Burglars steal $10K from Good Microbrew in Silver Lake; neighborhood sees uptick in property crime

SILVER LAKE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Police are searching for two burglars who broke into a popular Silver Lake microbrewery restaurant and made off with $10,000. The brazen break-in was caught on surveillance video.

Ron Martinez has owned and operated Good Microbrew and Grill at 3725 Sunset Boulevard for more than two decades.

"It's shocking, for one. It's very upsetting, and I'm angry," Martinez said. "Everything has basically come to a screeching halt right now. This is a bad time for that to happen."

Burglars broke into his restaurant Monday morning. In the surveillance video, two men wearing hooded sweatshirts walk up to the front doors and yank on the handles until the doors give way.

The two men quickly make their way into the kitchen, then into the office, where they proceed to pry two safes off the wall.

"I came back to the restaurant and I thought, 'Oh my God, what am I gonna do?'" Martinez said.

In less than eight minutes, the burglars made off with $10,000. Martinez says he doesn't normally keep that amount of money in the safe, but he says the $10,000 that were stolen included Christmas bonuses for employees.

"I have about 20 employees so it's come at an awful time," Martinez said.

The burglary comes two weeks after vandals in Silver Lake slashed more than 100 tires.

"This year, we've seen a little uptick in property crimes, which are your burglaries to motor vehicles, some home break-ins, simple thefts," said LAPD Cpt. Brian Pratt.

Despite the uptick, Pratt says Silver Lake is still much safer than it was in years past.

"We still have a reduction in violent crime for the year to date, and we hope to push that into the next year," Pratt said.

As for Good Microbrew and Grill, Martinez hopes to reopen the restaurant soon, and hopes his insurance will cover his losses.