Portland, tonight we learned that a food cart was stolen out of a secured lot on Sunday night or early Monday morning. Azul Tequila Mexican Taqueria’s bright blue cart was stolen from the A la Carts food cart pod at SE 50th, just south of Division. Someone broke in, hooked up and drove away.

I spoke with Linda Gramlich this evening, the owner of the A la Carts food pod, and they are still in shock as to what occurred. The thieves broke into the secure fenced lot and then proceeded to move the lot’s mobile “open” sign and then moved on to the cart. In order to get to Azul Tequila, they moved a neighbor cart to a different spot in the lot and then hooked up and drove off. Neighbors report that they heard commotion around 12:30am Monday morning.

This is the first time we’ve ever heard of a food cart being stolen. Many food carts, while they are stationary, are actually mobile in the truest sense. It is sad that in this economy a small business didn’t just get robbed or vandalized, but got their entire business stolen. I wonder if any restaurants have ever had their entire building stolen at 12:30am.

Azul Tequila Mexican Taqueria is a 16′ foot dark blue trailer with double axles and openings on the right side and the rear end for serving. The cart had a yellow menu displayed on the right side of the cart for all to see and ventilation appliances on the roof. If you see the cart or know anything about its disappearance, please contact the Portland Police Bureau at 503 823 3333. A reward is being offered by the owners.

If you are a food cart owner, please be aware that there may be individuals out there that may want to grab your great new cart. I don’t have any recommendation for security, but you may want to consult with your insurance company for recommendations on securing your cart.

If you’re a food cart owner, how do you secure your cart. Leave a comment.

[Update 1/18/2011 12:00pm, Azul’s food cart was found in NW Portland but damaged and stripped of equipment.]

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