MOORPARK : Thieves Steal Safe Through Hole in Wall

Thieves cut through a wall and stole a safe from a Moorpark restaurant, costing an estimated $18,000 in damage and lost cash and checks, the restaurant owner said Monday.

Eric Anders, owner of Wood Ranch Barbeque at 540 New Los Angeles Ave., said the kitchen manager discovered the theft about 8:15 a.m. Monday.

He said thieves cut a 3- to 3 1/2-square-foot hole in the outside wall of the restaurant to get to the safe, which contained all the restaurant’s weekend receipts and some computer information.

Anders, who estimated the job probably took 30 to 45 minutes, said the office was the only part of the restaurant not covered by a motion-detector. He said the wall has been repaired, and he hopes to get a new alarm system and safe today. Anders is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to an arrest.