Tacoma food truck stolen, forcing owner to temporarily halt operations

A Tacoma food truck was stolen in broad daylight and now the owner is being forced to temporarily shut down his business while he searches for answers.

Terry Hates, the owner of The Man BBQ, returned home from vacation to find his food truck missing.

“I was devastated,” he said. “I feel like I’m taking one step forward and two steps back.”

Surveillance video At the Dryer Masonic Center, located on 134th Street, two thieves were arrested on October 22 and stole the food truck parked outside.

The thieves arrived in a white truck and within minutes were able to get into Hayes’ vehicle and drive away.

Several months earlier, Hayes said his kitchen, where he prepares his food, caught fire, destroying $30,000 worth of equipment.

The cause had not yet been determined, he said.

Hayes said the food truck cost him about $50,000, along with tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

The owner has already filed an insurance claim, but he is unsure if the payout will cover the cost of his property and the loss of income, he said.

“They’re probably going to give me the value of the truck and not the value of the equipment in the truck,” he said.

“I lose about $20,000 a month on average,” he added. “It’s a bit depressing.”

The stolen food truck not only hurts his business, he said, but also affects his ability to help people experiencing homelessness in the community.

Betty Brown, a customer, said the recent incident is part of a larger problem in the region.

“Oh, I’m just sick of it, because Terry does a lot of good. He helps the homeless; he feeds all kinds of groups. Yeah, it’s just a shame. It shouldn’t be like this,” she said.

However, Hayes, an Army veteran, said he isn’t giving up hope.

“You want to give up, but if you do, you’ve lost forever, so I keep moving forward,” he said.

KIRO 7 News contacted the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, to whom Hayes said he filed a report.

We’re still waiting for more details, including information about the thieves.