BELMONT, N.C. — Belmont Police are looking for a man who was caught on-camera stealing from a popular restaurant, in what its owner described as a weird, Hollywood-style theft.
Gus Georgoulias, the owner of Estia's Kouzina's, said the theft happened Wednesday when the restaurant was busy with dinner customers.
He believes an accomplice placed a complicated order while the suspect snuck into the kitchen through an open back door.
"The lady came up front and ordered some extra this, extra that so we were trying to accommodate her," Georgoulias said.
He said while the staff was distracted by the woman and other customers, the man made his way through the kitchen, broke into the restaurant's office, stole cash and snuck back out.
Georgoulias said no one noticed until looking at the surveillance cameras.
"He seemed very cool and very professional," Georgoulias said. "One of the officers here in Belmont said, 'In 30 years in my police department, I've never seen anything like that.'"
He said no one was in danger and no one got hurt, but he said his fellow small business owners need to be on alert.
"It was just a very weird and new learning experience," he said.
Anyone with information on the case can call Belmont Police at 704-825-3792.