Masked burglars target Hispanic-owned North Texas businesses

DALLAS – Grand Prairie police are looking for a group of thieves who broke into a small business and stole tens of thousands of dollars.

Surveillance video inside a Grand Prairie restaurant shows the group in hoodies and masks removing a safe from the back office.

While FOX 4 was talking to the owner of the business, another business owner in Dallas came forward saying his business was also the target of a similar crime.

Right off I-30 at Belt Line Road, Lili’s Restaurant was open Thursday. But behind the scenes, a family-owned business is hurting. 

The storefront is half restaurant and half convenience store. 

“My mom’s money, she works hard for it to be taken away,” said Marie Bonilla, whose family owns the restaurant. 

Early Thursday morning just before 4 a.m., a trio of burglars broke into the restaurant through the back door. 

Surveillance video shows three men in hoods notice a safe in the office and immediately use tools to get it off the screws. 

One of the suspects wearing yellow gloves and a ski mask eventually noticed the camera and knocked it over. 

In total, they stole around $25,000 that was intended to be sent to others in different counties. 

“The money they stole wasn’t ours. It’s a money transfer business that she has,” Bonilla said. “So we have to pay all that money back.”

While FOX 4 was interviewing Bonilla, she came in contact with Jose Coria from Ceviche Loco in Dallas. His restaurant and money transfer service off Lake June Road was also hit by a group of suspects early Monday morning. The men also went straight to the money-transferring stall. 

“They had crowbars. They had sledgehammers,” Coria said.

The thieves took multiple safes housing $20,000, along with flat screens off the wall. 

In one of the clips, a man walked into frame wearing yellow gloves and a ski mask. He was a striking resemblance to a man seen at the Grand Prairie business. 

FOX 4 reached out to the Dallas Police Department to see if they believe both crimes are connected, but it would only confirm the details of the Dallas break-in. 

Thursday, Coria contacted Dallas police to ensure his detective has the Grand Prairie videos as well. 

“We shared videos and everything and information. Yeah, it looks very similar,” he said.

A getaway vehicle wasn’t captured on camera at the Grand Prairie business. 

But at the Dallas business, surveillance video captured a black Nissan Titan take off after the burglary.