Surveillance video shows attempted robbery of Stamford food truck

Stamford police are investigating an attempted robbery after a local food truck owner caught a suspect rifling through the mobile business, and it was all captured by camera.

Marissa Alter

Jan 11, 2023, 12:52 AM

Updated 715 days ago

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Stamford police are investigating an attempted robbery after a local food truck owner caught a suspect rifling through the mobile business, and it was all captured by camera.
Julian’s New York Hot Dogs has been a family business for 15 years and can usually be found at Latham Park downtown on Friday and Saturday nights. The rest of the time it’s at owner Dominic Telesco’s parents’ house parked in the driveway.
“We've never had any kind of issue whatsoever,” said Telesco’s wife, Kristin Keeler.
But around 3:45 a.m. Tuesday, the motion-activated camera inside the truck alerted Telesco someone was there.
“We get the live motion notifications on his phone, and so his phone all of a sudden started buzzing and going crazy,” Keeler explained. “He logged in and saw this guy with a hoodie and a mask.”
The suspect had a flashlight and was rifling through the truck. Keeler called 911 while Telesco used the camera's two-way audio to yell at him.
“He was able to tell the guy like, ‘I see you! Get off my truck! The police will be here in a few minutes,’” Keeler told News 12, adding that presumably scared him off.
The couple lives nearby and said Telesco and police got there quickly, but the suspect was gone. Luckily, he didn't get a chance to take anything.
“Oh my god. I was so scared,” said Keeler. “This is our business and to have someone, you know, jeopardize that or intrude on that is really really unnerving.”
Police told News 12 they’re looking for other video in the area. They said two people were seen near Lenox Avenue between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. pulling on car door handles and walking close to homes, but so far, no other break-ins have been reported. They also added that a vast majority of potential crimes can be prevented if people don’t leave their vehicles unlocked.
Keeler said the truck’s front doors were locked, but the back wasn’t.
“We’re going to get, you know, a padlock and get the appropriate lock on the back of that door, so that doesn't happen again,” she said.
Keeler told News 12 that it’s frightening knowing the suspect is still out. She hopes by sharing the security footage, someone will recognize him and contact police.