JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville food truck owner said thieves stole his entire livelihood on Christmas, wiping out months of hard work overnight.
The theft happened sometime between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at a food store on North Main Street, where the truck had been parked.
The owner, Lorenzo Perez, said he is heartbroken after losing his only source of income. Perez has owned the food truck, La Perla del Norte, for just eight months. Because he does not speak English fluently, a friend helped translate during the interview.
Perez says the truck was a major financial investment.
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Perez said the food truck cost “ around $13,000.”
Without the trailer, Perez says he cannot operate the business at all.
He says the theft has affected far more than just his equipment, explaining that it has taken away his ability to support his family.
“He said basically they’re destroying the family because that’s how they,” Perez said through a translator.
After discovering the trailer was missing on Christmas morning, Perez posted photos of it on Instagram, hoping someone would recognize it. The post quickly spread throughout Jacksonville’s food truck community.
That outreach prompted help from another local business owner. Robert Germano, the owner of Trout River Food Park, said he saw the post on Christmas morning.
“That’s what I woke up to Christmas morning was reading that you know his food truck has been stolen, and I was really upset about that,” Germano said.
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Germano said he understands the dedication it takes to run a food truck and how devastating it can be to lose everything overnight.
“So to have that just take it right out for you after you put in so much work. I mean, it’s hard work. So I feel incredibly bad for him,” Germano said.
To help recover the stolen trailer, Germano is offering a cash reward.
“ I offered $500 reward. You know if we can get the trailer back?” Germano said.
A police report has been filed with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The owner of the food store where the truck was parked says he is asking customers to stay alert and report any information directly to him, so it can be passed along to JSO.
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