Gaming machines destroyed as burglars strike restaurant in Schaumburg, Illinois

Gaming machines were irreparably damaged when burglars hit a restaurant in Schaumburg, Illinois, early Tuesday.

Frato's Kitchen & Gaming, at 620 S. Roselle Rd. in the Weatherway Plaza shopping center in Schaumburg, reported that it was one of several businesses hit.

The restaurant said on social media that representatives of nearby businesses noticed the burglaries fast, and as a result, many businesses were protected from being the burglars' next stop.

Frato's Restaurants president Michael Kudrna told CBS News Chicago that the area with the gaming machines where the burglars struck has direct cameras from the Illinois Gaming Board, but the restaurant's own cameras could not catch the burglars. The burglars did not make it farther into the restaurant where cameras could have caught them, but the damage would have been more severe, Kudrna wrote.

Kudrna said the gaming machines were damaged and cannot be repaired. He declined to say how much money was lost, saying he does not want to encourage other would-be thieves.

"We have a lot to sort and clean now, improving security and dealing with repairs.  We have to ensure staff feels safe and no glass or anything remains anywhere. It's a mess but we have a great team and we'll be fine," he wrote. "Again, it could have been much worse if it wasn't for the community help and fast response by Schaumburg police."

Frato's was closed Tuesday in the wake of the burglary, but Kudrna said he hoped the restaurant would reopen Wednesday.