OCALA, FL. (352 Today) – Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man captured on surveillance footage vandalizing a local restaurant in west Ocala.
Around 1 a.m. on July 21, an unidentified male suspect approached Pepe’s Tienda Mexicana Restaurant, located at 7915 W Highway 40, and shattered a rear window of the business. The man then proceeded to shut off the building’s power, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The restaurant’s owner provided security footage that clearly shows the individual in question at the time of the incident. The motive for the vandalism remains unclear, and investigators are working to determine whether the crime was random or targeted.
Anyone with information about the man’s identity is urged to contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at (352) 732-9111.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP (7867) or visiting www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. When submitting a tip, reference case number 25-22.
Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward if their information leads to an arrest.
The investigation is ongoing.