Dearborn Heights' Burgeratti serving positivity after being robbed amid global economic strike for Palestine
DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A Dearborn Heights food truck owner is bouncing back with positivity after a thief broke into his food truck stealing cash and some ingredients for his signature smash burgers.
For Samer Alkhafaji, opening a food truck has been his dream ever since he was a kid.
"I came here from Iraq in 2012. I was planning for it for 40 years, and it finally came to life three weeks ago," he said.
But just weeks after Alkhafaji launched that dream on the wheels of his very own Burgeratti food truck, a thief broke in.
"Something happened at night that really surprised me. Somebody broke into my food truck," Alkhafaji says.
On Monday, Dec. 11, Alkhafaji says he closed his doors, joining more than 100 Metro Detroit businesses in a global economic shutdown in solidarity with Palestine.
"When we closed for the strike for Palestine, we were trying to support all the children that have died so we can show the world we have a voice," Alkhafaji says.
However, that same night, he says his food truck was robbed.
"He stole all the money I have in the cashier drawer. He broke down the refrigerator. He stole all the bread and vegetables, which does not really make sense. If he came to the first time and first place and asked me he wants food, I swear I would have given it to him for free," Alkhafaji says.
Video surveillance shows a man jumping into the truck after breaking the latch to the front window. Before taking anything and everything he could get his hands on in the truck, the thief can be seen throwing his middle fingers in the air almost as if he was sending a message to the owner.
"I was really surprised by it but ... when something happens, I really get mad, but after a couple of hours, I realize it's God. He knows. He sees what's going on. For some reason that is what happened to me. So I say Alhamdulilah (God bless)," Alkhafaji says.
Picking up the pieces that were left behind, Alkhafaji fired up his food truck with only one thing in mind…fulfilling the dream he once had as a young Iraqi teen.
"To be honest, the biggest thing is follow your dream because you may get it. Just follow your heart and think about your steps before you make it," Alkhafaji says.
Alkhafaji says along with expanding his food truck across the Metro Detroit area, he hopes to, one day, open his very own restaurant too.
