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Break-in at Caribou Cafe is a rude return for chef

A thief cracked the restaurant's front door and made off with cash.

Damage from break-in at Caribou Cafe, as documented by Olivier Desaintmartin.
Damage from break-in at Caribou Cafe, as documented by Olivier Desaintmartin.Read moreOLIVIER DESAINTMARTIN

Olivier Desaintmartin, who owns the popular Center City bistros Caribou Cafe and Zinc, returned Sunday night from a month's trip cruising the Far East and guest-cheffing aboard the Oceania.

His return to reality was shattered by reality early Monday: A burglar had smashed the front door at Caribou (1126 Walnut St.) and tore apart the restaurant's point-of-sale system to remove the cash drawer.

The burglar was seen on video hacking at the computer system and then leaving with the cash drawer under a jacket.

Desaintmartin could not estimate the amount of missing cash, which represented receipts from what he called a busy weekend. Credit-card revenue, of course, was not affected.

After Desaintmartin received the alarm company's call at 5:48 a.m., he worried about the safety of his baker, who shows up at 4 a.m. every day except Monday and Thursday. The baker was not there.