NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. — In the early hours of Tuesday morning, a suspect shattered a front window at Grumpy’s Restaurant in Neptune Beach in what police are categorizing as a smash-and-grab burglary attempt.

Daniel DeLeon, the president and CEO of Grumpy’s Restaurant, revealed that the break-in occurred at approximately 3 or 4 a.m.

Security footage from the scene captures a masked individual lurking in the bushes before hurling a brick through the window and making a beeline for the manager’s office.

“It seems they were expecting to find cash or payroll, but given our cashless operations, they left empty-handed,” DeLeon remarked. “They seemed to think they were robbing Fort Knox, taking quite a few precautions for what ended up being a futile effort.”

DeLeon said the suspect wore a hoodie, gloves, and what appeared to be coverings on their feet. No one was inside the restaurant at the time, and he said company procedures worked as intended.

“This incident reinforces exactly why we don’t keep cash in our restaurants,” he said. “Our team is safe, which is always our top priority.”

The break-in left only cosmetic damage, but DeLeon said it still felt personal because of the dedication of the Neptune Beach franchise owners, Tracy and Mike Yarbrough.

“This business is a labor of love,” DeLeon said. “It breaks my heart for them. I take it personal, they’re coming after me and the brand.”

By 9 a.m., the front window was boarded up, and regulars were already showing up to help clean and support the staff.

“We rebounded and the restaurant was busy as usual,” DeLeon said. “We’ll keep on pushing, and we’ll be Grumpy again tomorrow.”

Police are reviewing the surveillance video and have not yet released additional details about the investigation. No arrests have been announced.

First Coast News reached out to the Neptune Beach Police Department for an update, but have not yet received a response.