Thieves accused of stealing $140K during break-in at Monrovia restaurant owners’ home

A pair of small business owners in Monrovia are struggling after they say thieves broke into their home and stole $140,000 from a lockbox — their entire life savings earned from decades of hard work.

The Narkmanee family owns the Burger Basket restaurant on Mayflower Avenue and West Duerte Road.

On Thursday, signs on the restaurant’s front door said it was closed indefinitely because one of the owners is currently hospitalized, recovering from the stress of the recent home break-in.

According to Narkmanee family, their home security cameras captured a video of two masked men breaking into their house at around 5:30 p.m. on March 26.

The family said the video shows a man walking up to the front door and knocking. When no one answers, the man walks back to the street.

Moments later, a car backs up near the family’s home, and two masked men get out and walk toward the home.

The family told NBCLA the men climbed into the house through a bathroom window.

Once inside, the video shows the men going into a bedroom and grabbing a lockbox.

The lockbox contained $140,000 belonging to couple Phiyapan Pimolasavakun and her husband, Vorawat.

Pimolasavakun said she still can’t believe someone was in her house, going through their things.

“Someone in my house, it was very scary to me,” she explained.

She also can’t believe all their hard-earned savings is gone.

“It’s really bad, it’s terrible, it’s horrible,” she told NBCLA. “I can’t imagine that because we’re busy working hard and they just come in 10 minutes and took it all away.”

The couple’s son, Jesse Narkmanee, said the theft has completely devastated his family.

“I was shocked, horrified— a wide range of emotions,” Narkmanee told NBCLA. “Emotions I’ve never felt before, as if somebody passed away. This is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”

“I’ve never seen my mom cry as much, and my dad is devastated. He’s such a joyful and cool guy and he’s totally changed — to the point that he had to go to the hospital,” Narkmanee added.

Narkmanee said his parents immigrated to the U.S. from Thailand more than 30 years ago.

They spent decades working in restaurants before finally saving up enough money to open their own restaurant, the Burger Basket. It was their very own American Dream.

The couple was hoping to retire soon but now, they suddenly find themselves with nothing, facing much uncertainty about the future.

The family is asking anyone with information to come forward.

NBCLA reached out to the Monrovia Police Department on Thursday for updates on the investigation but did not hear back.

“I hope they’re doing something or catch those guys,” Pimolasavakun said.

“I really hope that the people who did this can see what they did to us and at the very least, don’t ever do this again,” Narkmanee added.