Soccer is supposed to bring the world together, but it might also draw some negative attention in certain circumstances. Unfortunately for E-40’s restaurant, it brought thieves who burglarized the restaurant he co-owns twice within the same day. Per KRON-TV, The Lumpia Company in Oakland was burglarized, with the thieves running off with thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, electronics, and equipment, some of which was specifically purchased for the World Cup.
Co-owner Chef Alex Retodo said that the thieves broke in twice on Sunday morning. The culprits reportedly stole a laptop and a kitchen blender, along with other items intended to help screen the games.
Retodo shared security footage of the culprits breaking into the restaurant on Instagram, where he asked followers for help identifying them.
“We won’t lie—this one hurts,” Retodo wrote. “Incidents like this make us think twice. When people steal from a small business, they’re not just taking equipment—they’re taking from the employees, the customers, the community events, and the dreams behind it all.”
He said it couldn’t have come at a “worse time.” Moreover, the equipment that was robbed could also impact their future events.
“My partner called me on his jet and said, ‘Hey, what happened?’ He’s like, ‘I saw the news.’ I said, ‘E-40, we are going to be OK,’” Retodo told KRON. “We wanted to open with a bang today, playing the [World Cup] games, but we had to turn customers away. We had a party outside; made it happen, but it wasn’t the same.”
Restaurant Robbery Comes Before FIFA's Arrival To Bay Area
As one of the locations for the World Cup 2026, Retodo said that their restaurant will host watch parties in the future, though they’re still figuring out logistics after the robbery occurred. We’ll keep you posted on any further updates.
