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Austin Police have arrested two men in connection to a series of food truck burglaries early Wednesday morning. Surveillance video captured by the “Poke Me Long Time” food truck shows the two later identified as Marlo Javier Melendez,17, and Luis Gerardo Vizcarra, 26, stealing items from inside the truck. The two also broken into four other food trucks inside the lot on East 6th street.
According to an arrest affidavit, police state they received a 911 call about a cash register found on the floor of a local HEB store parking lot inside were slips addressed to the American Asian food truck.
After surveying the area, police say several of the businesses locks and doors were broken. The police then contacted the owners using surveillance video and an I-Pad's tracking device they were able to find Melendez and Vizcarra in a stolen car filled with the food trucks stolen items.
The "Poke Me Long Time" food truck is like a second home for Kevin and Sherilyn Randolph who have spent a little over a year serving hungry customers on the eastside of Austin. "It's been a long road just working seven days a week you know 12, 18 hour days. We put our blood sweat and tears into this place," said Kevin.
"It wasn't an attack against our business it was a personal attack and when you take things from us you're taking things directly from us and our pockets and our family," said Sherilyn.
The Randolph’s reported an estimated loss of $2,500 dollars in damage and electronics.
It's a setback the couple is determined to overcome with welcoming attitude and good food. "We are not millionaires or anything like that we do it to support our community with healthy food," Kevin said.
Melendez has been charged with burglary of non-residence and Vizcarra has been charged with felony enhanced theft for prior convictions.