Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar burglarized
BRADENTON -- In the early morning hours Tuesday, Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar was burglarized.
The restaurant's point-of-sale system and security camera footage were stolen, said Kim Bottorff, owner of the riverside restaurant. No cash was taken. The restaurant's alarm system was triggered around 2:15 a.m., but Bottorff said it was dismissed as a false alarm.
Bradenton police Lt. James Racky confirmed Bradenton police were called to the scene by an alarm at about 2 a.m. The police did not observe any signs of burglary, Racky said, but when Bottorff arrived and found evidence of burglary in the restaurant's office, she called the police. Bradenton police returned to Tarpon Pointe after 8 a.m., and the department's crime scene investigation unit took photos and looked for fingerprints. Racky said they do not have any suspects at this time.
Bottorff estimates the value of the stolen property at $20,000 or more. The restaurant's operations were also stilted for the day, at least.
The restaurant's point-of-sale system "basically gives you a lot of intellectual property information," Bottorff said.
"It's what we sold and what we do; our whole business is run through there."
Tarpon Pointe is still open for business and Bottorff said the ownership is exploring options for replacing the point-of-sale system.
The burglary comes a couple of weeks after Tarpon Pointe's landlord, R. Scott Tibbetts, declined to renew the restaurant's lease. Employees were informed of the closure Jan. 31 and the restaurant will close Feb. 29.
Plans for future development on or around the Tarpon Pointe property, 801 Riverside Dr. E., have not been announced. Tibbetts was not immediately available for comment.
The Bradenton Police Department report on the burglary was not yet available.
Janelle O'Dea, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7095. Follow her on Twitter@jayohday.
This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 11:06 PM with the headline "Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar burglarized ."