KENNEWICK, Wash. – The owners of Hot Mess Burgers and Fries are looking for answers after their food truck was broken into.
“It’s really that idea not knowing that’s the hardest thing to have to overcome,” said Chef Nokes, Executive Chef at Hot Mess Burgers and Fries.
According to the Hot Mess Burger and Fries Co-Owners, they estimate that whoever broke into the food truck caused thousands of dollars in damages. They say that the lock on the food truck was busted and the cash register was stolen.
The food truck has had its fair share of hurdles in 2024, like having to close due to the extreme cold and also having to replace all of the seating around the business because of a chair recall.
“This (the break-in) was very violating, this is a space that we thought was safe and now thats gone” said Ben Nichols, Co-Owner of Hot Mess Burgers and Fries.
Hot Mess Burgers and Fries has been serving the community for the last 2 years and tells us that this is the first time they were broken into. However, the food truck hasnt stopped serving food since the break-in.
“We took out the old cash box and broken tablet from the closet, we had to show our employees how we used to do it back in the day” said Nokes.
Officer Jesus Contreras with the Kennewick Police Department has a couple of tips for other local businesses in the area to avoid becoming victims themselves:
Set up video surveillance – to make criminals think twice about breaking into the business and to help police with investigations.Set up an alarm system – that makes an alarm or alerts police about the suspicious activity.Request extra patrols by police – This will ensure that police watch over the business more often during rounds. Fill out a trespass authorization form – This basically gives police the authority to cite anyone with trespassing after closing hours.
