A local Renton restaurant was recently the target of a smash and grab robbery that left their storefront damaged with thousands of dollars of cash and property stolen.

Renton Police responded to a report of a commercial burglary at 5:34 a.m. July 25. Officers contacted the reporting party, who according to a police spokesperson, was an owner of a nearby business who called in the burglary after having viewed the incident on their business’s surveillance cameras.

Upon arrival, officers noticed two broken glass windows, a damaged wall, and scrape marks under the commercial sign of the restaurant on 16928 116th Ave. SE, called Mekenie Pampangga’s Special, a Filipino restaurant.

Officers cleared the building to make sure no one was inside, and proceeded to view the video. The video showed a subject driving a U-Haul slowly by the businesses in the area at approximately 5:12 a.m. The subject then reportedly parked in front of a nearby business and got out of the vehicle, before getting back into the truck and driving away.

Renton Police spokesperson Cyndie Morris said that due to the fact the video did not show the neighboring business, officers were unable to see if the subject actually made entry into the business on foot — or how the damages occurred.

“Based upon the damage, it’s believed the suspect drove the U-Haul into the front entrance of the business, causing the wall to bend and breaking the windows,” Morris said in an email with the Renton Reporter. “This would also explain the scrapes under the business sign, due to it being a taller vehicle.”

Police noted that the alarm inside the targeted business did not trip, although the alarm next door did. Police believe this alarm is what probably scared the suspect, causing them to flee the scene.

Monna Obiniana-Perez, the owner of Mekenie Pampangga’s Special, claimed that tablets, phones and other electronics were stolen from the restaurant along with what she estimated to be $2,500-$3,000 worth of cash.

Obiniana-Perez said the restaurant will remain open even after the damage to the storefront, but said she is concerned about employee safety because this is the second time the restaurant has been targeted.