[UPDATE: Monday] Bold, Masked Thief Breaks Into Fortuna Business This Morning

Masked burglar

Burglar outside the restaurant. [All images from surveillance tapes]

A man wearing a clown, Misfits or scream type mask burglarized the Double D’s restaurant in Fortuna at about 8 a.m. today. “He broke the back kitchen window,” explained Kelly Valentine, an employee. “He stole money and the tv.”

Valentine said they had extra money tucked with the bank deposit and the burglar went right to the drawer where the money was kept. “After watching the video footage, this guy seemed to have knowledge of where to look. The place where money is kept is the first place he looked.”

The alarm went off when the man broke the window. “He was here for just a few minutes,” Valentine said. “He understood he had a certain amount of time to get out. Maybe just a few minutes. The owner lives just like a mile or so away.” He did take time, Valentine said, to drag out a new television that had just been purchased.

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Burglar coming through the window.

According to surveillance tape, the owner showed up just a few minutes after the burglar left. “The guy had just walked out the front door,” Valentine said. “The owner walked in maybe two minutes later. She did not see him.”

Valentine said that she is glad the owner did not show up while the burglar was still there. She is worried that the owner could have been assaulted.

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Burglar dragging the tv still in the box.

The burglar appears to have parked at least a short distance away from the business. “None of the outside cameras caught a vehicle,” she said. “We are assuming he did have a vehicle because he drug a rather large tv out the front door….We’re hoping somebody can recognize him and give us an idea of what direction to go.”

If anyone has information, please contact Fortuna Police Department: Evan Beechel 707 725 7550.

UPDATE Monday: Two Children and a Woman Found Hiding Under a House as Fortuna Police Serve Warrant Last Night

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34 Comments
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toki
Guest
toki
7 years ago

I’d start with employees, past and present, because of how sure he was where the money was kept.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
7 years ago
Reply to  toki

Employees boyfriend maybe…

Saucy
Guest
Saucy
7 years ago

Just an FYI kym, that’s for sure not a ‘scream’ mask. It could be a clown or misfits mask though. Wonder if anybody has been fired from there recently? Seems odd he knew exactly where the money was. My guess is either an ex-employee or was told by someone that has or does work there where to look. and here’s what a ‘scream’ mask looks like:

visitor
Guest
visitor
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Looks here more like a skull mask than clown mask. Misfits mask is a possiblity.

Seems he’s holding the mask, unattached, on his face. First photo and third photo, he’s a hand on the mask. Third photo, he’s pulling at the box with his right hand while holding the mask with his left.

The shoes might be the most identifying feature; more images might reveal make and model. He’ll dump the clothes but not the shoes.

Wearing gloves; has priors. Right-handed.
Height can be figured relative to the signs posted on the door. (Guessing he’s 5’10” – 5’11”.)

Should be easy to solve. Likely a inside job, likely a friend of an ex- or current employee. If ex-employee, quit or fired recently; they knew about the tv:
both loot and tv steals seem pre-meditated. The perp’s been in there recently; they cased the spot even if there was an accomplice that clued them in.

Likely though possbily not an inside job. If the hiding spot for the loot isn’t in a back room or somewhere completely out of sight of customers, possibly the perp noted someone putting money in the spot while there as a customer and saw the brand-new tv box at the same time. Inside job is more likely, though.

Check older, recent footage for guys of similar height and shoes. Go back only as far as when the tv first arrived.

lisa pettitt
Guest
lisa pettitt
7 years ago
Reply to  visitor

LOOK AT THOSE SHOES , HE IS OVIOUSLY STUPID , HE WILL PROBABLY WEAR THEM IN PUBLIC, & HIS CLOTHES TOO.

YORK
Guest
YORK
7 years ago

The burglar is very thin, any chance it could also be a female?

Bo
Guest
Bo
7 years ago
Reply to  YORK

Look at the tiny feet, I think your right!

Ghostown
Guest
Ghostown
7 years ago
Reply to  YORK

That’s my first impression also.

TC
Guest
TC
7 years ago
Reply to  YORK

I think it is a female, look how they are picking up tv? and small feet? come on now!!!

Jason
Guest
Jason
7 years ago

when can we shoot at these people?

Some guy
Guest
Some guy
7 years ago
Reply to  Jason

When you feel your life is threatened. I’m pretty sure that’s the point at which you can shoot them. I’d say somebody breaking in wearing a mask like that would make me feel threatened.

DaPisan
Guest
DaPisan
7 years ago
Reply to  Jason

Not soon enough…unfortunately!

Mogtx
Guest
7 years ago

Man fortuna s going crazy just like the rest of humboldt. Kids trying to bomb the high school .now this .cop s too biz checking seatbelt s.

Patricia Shultis
Guest
Patricia Shultis
7 years ago

My first impression of the last picture of the person by the box was that it looks like the stance of a female.

visitor
Guest
visitor
7 years ago

Stance due to hunching while trying to keep the mask on face with one hand.

Stance and posture in first photo say ‘male’, as does apparent movement of perp entering the window.

^Could be incorrect, of course.

Meme
Guest
Meme
7 years ago

This person has very small feet.

visitor
Guest
visitor
7 years ago
Reply to  Meme

Doesn’t seem like that here.

Check photos two and three; feet don’t seem tiny, especially in three. First photo, camera seems fisheyed and warps the image a bit.

care fart
Guest
care fart
7 years ago

look at the shoes [ style,the way they’re tied color pattern etc. ]

Coletta Hughes
Guest
Coletta Hughes
7 years ago

I hate thieves 🙁

Bob
Guest
Bob
7 years ago

I can’t tell if he’s wearing gloves or if racial over-sensitivity is preventing report of identifying features…

visitor
Guest
visitor
7 years ago
Reply to  Bob

Gloves. Click the photos and then check the enlargements.

Nan
Guest
Nan
7 years ago

Id look for the boots on this thief for sure

Bryan
Guest
Bryan
7 years ago

Most definitely an inside job. I am an ex criminal……. take it from me, it’s either somebody that at one time worked there, a current employee or, an acquaintance of somebody. If the video footage showed this person going directly to a secret spot then it shouldn’t be too difficult to track down.

Just-me
Guest
Just-me
7 years ago

Isn’t Fortuna the “Friendly City”?

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
7 years ago
Reply to  Just-me

So THEY say!!!

Hannah
Guest
Hannah
7 years ago

I would definitely say girl on this burglar. Girls plan (all dressed up, mask), new when, knew where to go, new what was in there. She’s also struggling with the tv, a guy would just pick it up and go.

visitor
Guest
visitor
7 years ago
Reply to  Hannah

Struggling with the tv due to using one hand while keeping the mask on face with the other.

Deffo inside job. Knew about the loot spot and new tv, plus knew about the various cameras, hence the mask.

Not deffo female from this perspective; likely male.

Eastside
Guest
Eastside
7 years ago

A floor safe that employees don’t know the combo to works wonders in protecting your money rather than putting it in a drawer. This is Humboldt, home to many thieves. Protect yourself.

Darth Vader
Guest
Darth Vader
7 years ago

My first thought was this is a female, (although chest does not indicate), strong to carry out a tv (but they are lightweight nowadays)… but the shoes puzzle me. Not the same, are they?

visitor
Guest
visitor
7 years ago
Reply to  Darth Vader

Weight of a 55″ flat panel, appx. 60lbs.

This person is not short.
TV shipping box, appx. 3′ high. That’s about even with this person’s waist.
Extrapolate for their height: 5’10 – 6′ tall.

TC
Guest
TC
7 years ago
Reply to  visitor

Thanks Dick Tracey!!

Darth Vader
Guest
Darth Vader
7 years ago

Bryan from yesterday’s post: You were right on every point! Trade in your criminal past to being a real detective & HELP THIS COUNTY OF HUMBOLDT OUT! We’re hurtin!

Margery
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Darth Vader

You’ve imseprsed us all with that posting!