Suburban pizzeria offers free pizza for a year to help catch attempted burglars

Slice of justice: Suburban pizzeria offers free pizza for a year for help catching suspects

A suburban pizzeria is offering up a tasty reward to turn up the heat on the crooks who smashed their business this week.

LOCKPORT, Ill. - A suburban pizzeria is turning up the heat on the crooks who attempted to burglarize their business this week.

The owner of Sopranos Pizzeria & Catering in Lockport is taking a slice out of crime by serving an epic reward. He is offering up free pizza for one year to anyone who can identify the suspects.  

What we know:

Since the announcement, the phones at Sopranos—located in the 1500 block of South State Street—have been ringing off the hook.

"And hopefully we get ‘em caught," said Emmanuel Serna, owner, Sopranos Pizzeria & Catering.

Community members are rallying around the small business after, much to Serna’s shock, it was targeted earlier this week.

"Food costs are high, this adds more cost to us, and we’re a small business, we’re here for the community," Serna said.

According to Lockport police, around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, a few wise guys showed up at the business unannounced and after hours—looking for a piece of the pie that wasn’t theirs.

After not one, not two, but a few cracks at breaking the glass, the suspect just ‘didn’t have the makings of a varsity athlete’ and gave up.

"I just couldn’t believe that, especially they looked so young, like that young to be doing this at that hour, it was crazy to me," Serna said.

The suspects sped off, but they were being watched by a community member who called 911 and captured their license plates on his own dashcam.

"Unfortunately, they got away, it seems like it was a stolen vehicle, supposedly," Serna said. "Then when I came here, I just saw the disaster of glass everywhere."

As Serna was cleaning up, he came up with the idea for the clever reward.

"We are serious, anyone who finds these guys or has information on them, free pizza for a year—not slices, full pies for a whole year," Serna said.

The offer has captured so much attention online, the ovens have been working overtime.

"I just want to thank the community for all the support and love," Serna said.

What's next:

Lockport police say the gray or silver Kia sedan driven by the suspects was stolen out of Chicago Heights. Now, they are working to determine if the burglary crew is tied to any other break-in attempts in the area.