Not cool: Thief targets eateries misting systems Reza Gostar and Colin Atagi, The Desert Sun Two restaurants in Palm Springs had their mister pumps and hoses stolen over the weekend, according to police and local business owners. The most recent theft was reported Monday at Alicante, formerly known as Zini Cafe Mediterrano, 140 S. S. Palm Canyon Drive, according to Sgt. Harvey Reed. The theft occurred sometime between midnight and 4:30 p.m., according to the Palm Springs Police Department. Greek Islands Restaurant, 139 E. Andreas Road, was also targeted, said owner Dimitrios Maras, who discovered his whole misting system missing Sunday after returning from vacation. Maras said thieves have targeted his restaurant in the past but the mister pump was a new thing. As Tuesday afternoon, he had yet to report the theft to police. They took everything, Maras said. The hoses, everything. I have an alarm inside but I cant control the outside. Maras said he noticed two of his outside tables had been stacked on top of one another Sunday, as if someone was using them to lower items from the roof. I believe thats how they did it, he said. Fernando Tapia, a maintenance worker at Greek Islands, said the pump at the eatery weighed between seven and 10 pounds. The pumps pistons are made out of brass and some parts have cooper, he said. Must have taken several hours for the pumps and hoses to be removed, said Sara Mara, co-owner at Greek Islands Restaurant. The system cost about $4,000 to install, she said, adding that the restaurant is planning a replacement. We need the misters because of the heat, Sara Maras said. Even at night, people dont like to sit outside when there is no mist. Patrons at both restaurants typically sit outside. In recent weeks, misters in downtown Palm Springs have helped customers stave off temperatures that surpassed 105 degrees.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 03:40:13 +0000
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