JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville food truck owner whose livelihood was robbed from him and his family overnight on Christmas finally has his trailer back.
Robert Germano, the owner of Trout River Food Park, shared that the trailer was found, but some items were missing, like the license plate and all of the tablets that were inside.
After Perla Del Norte put out a call about the stolen trailer on social media, the local food truck community was instrumental in helping owner Lorenzo Perez locate his property.
“I wasn’t sure at first and sure enough found it on the west side off of New Kings Road and then I sat there and watched it and we called the police. It was pretty exciting actually,” Perez said.
Perla Del Norte’s trailer disappeared from its usual spot on the Northside overnight between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Perez said losing the trailer meant losing his livelihood.
“It’s terrible. It’s for supporting the family,” Perez said. “I need a job, this job for my family, my grandson, my granddaughter.”
Perez said it will likely take him a week to repair everything and ghet some new tablets. Then Germano will welcome him back to the food park after being gone from the location for a little more than a year.
To Be Frank Jax, another food truck business, started a GoFundMe to help Perez’s family.
The funds raised would support helping Perla Del Norte get back on its feet by replacing equipment, buying a new trailer or securing a temporary setup and covering lost income.
“I wanted him to come back here,” Germano said. We have better security here. We have fencing and we have cameras. We had nighttime security, so you know I feel a lot more safer here, and plus you know I definitely want to get him back in here for his food.
Perez can’t wait to reopen his business in a familiar place.
“Now [I’d] like to begin work again and work very hard. We stay in this country for work, for me, for my family, nothing more.
If you would like to contribute to the fundraiser, click here.