Warrant: Burglars smash through wall in $850K in movie equipment heist

A break-in and burglary last month at a St. Louis Park bakery during an early spring snowstorm may have simply been a way into an adjoining business, according to new search warrants filed in Hennepin County Court Monday.

Muddy Paws Cheesecake suffered serious damage when burglars broke in through the ceiling while the owner was out delivering a cake to a local wedding, though the thieves only made away with roughly $800, a checkbook and none of the business' signature cheesecake.

“I’ve never even seen a burglary like this, it was just unreal the amount of damage," said Tami Cabrera, the owner of Muddy Paws. “The damage they did and the amount of harm they caused is so astronomical to what they received.”

The suspects then cut a hole in the wall to reach next-door camera rental shop Cinemechanics, stealing more than $850,000 worth of equipment before fleeing the scene. 

According to police, a man later tried to cash a check from Muddy Paws in Minneapolis but became anxious when the employee called Tami Cabrera, the bakery's owner, to verify the check. The man left his driver's license and the check at the counter, leading police to search his phone records. 

Muddy Paws, meanwhile, has been overwhelmed by community support since the incident. As of May 1, a GoFundMe page for the bakery reached its $25,000 goal while a local restaurant stepped up to give Cabrera temporary use of its kitchen. 

The incident remains under investigation by the St. Louis Park Police Department.