A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Schuylkill County man accused of breaking into a restaurant and stealing a bull statue filled with cash.
Ricardo Hernandez-Maldonado, 41, of Pottsville, is charged in connection with an August burglary at the Maya Riviera restaurant on N. Centre St. in the city.
Police say Hernandez-Maldonado forced his way into the business and stolen a bull statue containing money.
Police were called to the restaurant on Aug. 14 last year for a report of a theft. The owner and an employee reported that a bull statue filled with money had been stolen from inside the business sometime between 9 p.m. on Aug. 11 and 8 a.m. on Aug. 12.
The employee told police the statue was normally displayed on a shelf in the front of the restaurant. When opening the business on the morning of Aug. 12, the employee noticed drywall dust near a side door, a broken key in the front door, and chipped wood where the deadbolt is located. Scrapes were also visible on the front door deadbolt.
The owner reportedly said he noticed the bull statue was missing around 6 p.m. on Aug. 12. He estimated the value of the statue and the money inside to be approximately $600. The owner and employee identified an individual named “Ricardo” who occasionally cleans the restaurant as a potential suspect.
Police say they obtained surveillance footage from City Hall and the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say video from Aug. 12 shows an individual walking east from Second and Laurel streets toward the restaurant at approximately 4:25 a.m.
The footage shows the individual entering the restaurant through the front Centre St. door at 4:26 a.m. While inside, a flashlight beam is visible. The individual exits through a side patio door on Laurel Street at 4:32 a.m., according to the affidavit.
Surveillance video from the Children & Youth Services building across the street reportedly shows the individual wearing a black long-sleeve shirt or jacket with yellow designs, a blue baseball hat, black pants, black shoes with white bottoms, and a backpack. The individual is seen carrying the bull statue reported stolen.
On Oct. 5, police say located an individual matching the suspect’s description at the Pottsville Hotel (formerly the Ramada Inn). The man, identified as Hernandez-Maldonado, was allegedly wearing the same unique yellow and black jacket seen in the surveillance video.
Hernandez-Maldonado agreed to be interviewed at City Hall. When police informed him that video and photos showed him entering the restaurant wearing the same jacket, he allegedly claimed he had just received the jacket that day from a friend who had been arrested. He later claimed he found the jacket in the trash, police say.
Police say Hernandez-Maldonado matched the description of the suspect, had previously worked at the restaurant, and would have had specific knowledge that money was kept in the bull statue, which was not used as a public tip jar.
Hernandez-Maldonado was reportedly shown a still frame from the surveillance video depicting a man carrying the bull statue while wearing the yellow and black jacket. According to police, Hernandez-Maldonado then confirmed he was the person in the picture but denied committing the burglary.
Police have charged Hernandez-Maldonado with felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass as well as misdemeanor counts of theft and receiving stolen property.
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...