Located just off of Biscayne Boulevard and 69th Street, Luna Pasta e Dolci has been struck by multiple break-ins and burglaries over the past two days costing the business thousands of dollars in damages and losses, in addition to costing the business something invaluable: their sense of safety and peace.
"We made a police report because it happened three times last month," Medici tells New Times. "First, it was one night, then, it was literally the next night after that, and then, they waited like another two weeks before it happened for a third time."
The subject was captured via surveillance video at the Italian restaurant Luna Pasta e Dolci in Miami.
Luna Pasta e Dolci photo
Last week, the Luna Pasta e Dolci team took to Instagram to share the surveillance footage of what they say was their "fourth break-in (in 30 days)..." The caption reads, in part, "Over five windows smashed at our take-out location in under 30 days. We hate to ask for donations, and this is our first time creating a GoFundMe, even though we have experienced this in the past. However, after so many different break-ins in the past 30 days, we need your help to get back on our feet."
The family-owned and operated restaurant, which also has a market (and makes its own delicious pasta that can be purchased in boxes), recently expanded to develop a take-away spot next door, which was a large investment for their team due to the cost of construction, key money (upwards of $250,000), larger staff, and many more expenses.
Now, Medici and his family have created a GoFundMe to raise money to help get the restaurant back on its feet.
The description on the GoFundMe states, "Dear Community, Luna Pasta e Dolci is our family-owned restaurant. We are heartbroken to share that our Luna take-away, a beloved local spot, has suffered four break-ins in one week last month. These incidents have left us with significant damage and losses, threatening the very heart of our small business. We pride ourselves on being a cornerstone of this community, serving delicious meals and creating a welcoming atmosphere for everyone. We humbly ask for your support through our GoFundMe campaign to help us repair and restore our restaurant. Thank you for standing by us during this difficult time."
Despite the recent hardships Medici and his team are facing, they are more grateful than ever before for the community of Miami. "Thankfully, we've gotten pretty good support so far with our GoFundMe, so we're thankful for our community," says Medici. "We didn't even want to bother out community, but due to all of the expenses, we had no choice. The take-out location doesn't even generate a lot of money since its primarily for UberEats, which takes 30% of the profits. Therefore, we're just trying to raise just enough to cover the windows, installations, and, unfortunately, this time around they also broke our iPad which is how we process all of our payments." To repair the iPad and payment processing system, this will cost nearly $2,000. The window repairs will costs thousands more.
If you would like to make a donation to the restaurant's GoFundMe page, click here.
If you have any information about these burglaries, please call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
Luna Pasta e Dolci. 6927 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-405-3679; lunapastaedolci.com.
