NEW ORLEANS — Police are asking for your help finding the three men who broke into the Café Du Monde in City Park over the weekend.
They damaged multiple entries and got away with the cash register. It was all caught on camera.
It's was a little after 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. Cameras show flashlights approaching one of the doors to Café Du Monde in City Park. Moments later, surveillance footage shows three men break in. One of them is armed. They go through drawers, then pry the cash register open.
Finally, one of the men grabs the cash register, yanking at the wires, before carrying it out.
Everything is back to normal now at the iconic café. There are lots of out-of-town visitors drinking coffee and eating powdered beignets under the fans and iconic green and white-striped awnings.
The multiple break-in sites, mostly doors that were pried open, have been repaired, all except one set of doors, which is closed now with a large piece of plywood. The lights are back on after police say the padlock to the electrical room was cut, which shut off the power.
The managers and owner of Café Du Monde did not want to talk on camera but did confirm that the amount of money in the cash register when it was stolen was $16.
No one from NOPD, or City Park management or security, would comment on camera either, but City Park did send a statement saying they are aware of the break-in and will assist NOPD with its ongoing investigation. The park added it is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable environment.
This is not the first time this year an iconic spot at City Park has been hit. Back in the spring, another theft was also caught on surveillance cameras. During the lunch hour, a man walked up to the Wheel Fun Rentals bike and boat stand. Police say he went into the building through an open door and took a bank deposit envelope with $5,000 in it.
If you have any information to pass on to police, call the Third District or Crimestoppers.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.