Suspects Linked to Burglaries at Two Dallas Restaurants

Surveillance footage shows suspects targeting Tacos Juancho and Tomateros Seafood Restaurant in separate incidents.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Two suspects broke into Tacos Juancho restaurant in Oak Lawn and Tomateros Seafood Restaurant in East Dallas on the same night, stealing cash and causing property damage. Surveillance video from both incidents shows the suspects using similar methods and arriving in a stolen van, leading restaurant managers to believe the same individuals were responsible for both burglaries.

Why it matters

The back-to-back burglaries at these Dallas restaurants highlight the ongoing challenges small businesses face with property crime, especially for new establishments trying to build a customer base. The incidents also raise concerns about repeat offenders and the need for effective crime prevention measures in the city.

The details

Surveillance footage shows the suspects prying open a side door at Tacos Juancho using a pry bar and sledgehammer, then forcing their way into an office and smashing a safe bolted to the floor. They stole nearly $3,000 in cash, including employee checks. A similar break-in occurred just hours earlier at Tomateros Seafood Restaurant, where the suspects were captured on video breaking through the front door and stealing an empty cash register.

  • The Tacos Juancho burglary occurred shortly after 2 a.m. on Tuesday, February 6, 2026.
  • The Tomateros Seafood Restaurant burglary happened earlier that same morning.

The players

Tacos Juancho

A popular Oak Lawn restaurant that was targeted in one of the burglaries.

Tomateros Seafood Restaurant

A Dallas restaurant located on South Buckner Boulevard that was also burglarized by the same suspects.

Oliver Valdez

The manager of Tacos Juancho who spoke about the impact of the burglary on the new restaurant.

Masters Chiropractic

A DeSoto chiropractor whose stolen van was used by the suspects in the Tacos Juancho burglary.

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What they’re saying

“It's a lot of work. It's a lot of hard work here, so people just come and take advantage of that. It's not fair. It's not fair.”

— Oliver Valdez, Restaurant Manager (WFAA)

What’s next

Police are investigating both burglaries, and the restaurant owners hope that sharing the surveillance footage will help identify the suspects and lead to their arrest.

The takeaway

These back-to-back burglaries at two Dallas restaurants underscore the ongoing challenges small businesses face with property crime, especially for new establishments trying to build a customer base. The incidents also raise concerns about repeat offenders and the need for effective crime prevention measures in the city.