FLORENCE, Ky. — Like real-life grinches, thieves were spotted on surveillance cameras stealing equipment from a Florence restaurant on Christmas night.
"I got a flamethrower, I hook up to a big propane tank and I went to hook it up and there was just no propane tank," said Guy Cummins, Smokin' This and That BBQ's co-owner.
Cummins said the thieves stole nearly $7,000 worth of equipment, including food warmers, a griddle, propane tanks and a meat slicer.
The restaurant posted this post on Facebook, asking for help from the community in finding the thieves and their stuff.
"The community, they've supported us so much," Cummins said. "They're out there trying to find this guy and this truck and our stuff."
You can watch parts of the surveillance video below:
Cummins said losing the equipment could lead to a setback.
"We got a catering gig coming up here in a couple of weeks and part of that equipment we actually need for the catering," Cummins said. "So, I'm gonna have to go out — if we don't recover it, I'm going to have to go buy it and we have to buy it out of pocket, you know?"
However, the community is making sure he isn't alone.
While WCPO 9 News was at the restaurant interviewing Cummins, Charlie Jacobson stopped by.
Jacobson lives in Hebron and drove to the restaurant Friday to donate money straight to Cummins on behalf of him and his wife.
"I'm very upset over your loss and I'd like you to accept that from my wife and I to get yourself back in business," Jacobson told Cummins.
Jacobson said he doesn't know Cummins and has only been to the restaurant a couple of times, but he felt inclined to help.
"Well it's just one of these things, why would you do this stuff? It just bothered us," Jacobson said.
It's a gesture Cummins said he won't forget.
"Isn't that something?" Cummins said to Jacobson. "Tell your wife I said 'God bless her.'"
