SAN ANTONIO — A restaurant on San Antonio's southwest side should be serving mini tacos to hungry customers by now. Instead, the timeline of its opening remains halted two months after a brazen theft.
What's more, the restaurant's owner, Juan Flores, says the item that was taken must be replaced by CPS Energy.
"I've been here in business for 20 years and I've never seen this happen," said Flores.
Five years ago, Flores decided it was time to open his third San Antonio restaurant.
"I call it Mini Takitos El Gordo."
He's putting it next door to one of his existing eateries on the southwest side, off Old Pearsall Road near 410.
"Something from Mexico... auténtico, from Mexico," said Flores.
On May 22, however, as the building inched closer to opening day, Flores walked in and realized the electricity was out.
"I said, 'Where is my power?' I paid my electrical bill and everything, but no power at all," he recalled.
Flores checked the security camera from his restaurant next door and found his answer.
"I see the guys running with all the cables. They came and cut it and took all the cables," said Flores. "It's the main power. The people who did this, they knew how to do it because it's really dangerous."
Flores filed a police report and called CPS Energy to get the copper wiring replaced. He says since what was stolen was city property, the utility should replace it.
"I don't have an answer from CPS," he explained. "They told me different stories. They don't have cables. I never heard anything from them."
Flores says says he's lost tens of thousands of dollars. He's paying rent, but can't get his final inspection to operate his business until the power comes back on.
"I just want to say to CPS: Please give me power. I need it."
The employees who were lined up to work at Mini Takitos El Gordo have since moved on. Flores is now trying to hire new ones.
We asked the San Antonio Police Department if they were aware of any trends involving these types of high-tension cables. Police said they weren't.
CPS Energy says they're aware of the issue and they're looking into it.
In a statement, the utility company said, "As of now, CPS Energy is reaching out to the customer to provide an update and will schedule the necessary work as soon as practically possible with a tentative plan to begin the work next week."
If you have any information about this case, call the San Antonio Police Department.
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