San Jose deli hit by fifth burglary this year, owners frustrated with police response

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — Antipasto’s deli in San Jose’s Alum Rock neighborhood was burglarized for the second time in three months Tuesday, with thieves crashing a truck into the store and stealing nine bottles of wine.

The burglary, which occurred early Tuesday morning, was captured on security footage showing the truck slamming into the restaurant’s glass doors. This marks the fifth burglary at Antipasto’s in the past year, with damages exceeding $6,000 each time.

“Imagine getting a phone call at 2:45 in the morning, you think the worst,” said Gino DeRose, who helps run the deli with his brother Nick and their mother, the owner. “It’s angering.”

Antipasto’s has been a staple in the community for 37 years, started by the DeRose brothers’ father and now operated by their mother. “It’s kind of like the Cheers of the east side,” Gino DeRose said.

The recent burglaries are not isolated incidents, as other businesses in the area, including a pizza parlor, cleaners, and a barber shop, have also been targeted. “It’s hard to make a living being a small business,” DeRose noted.

DeRose expressed frustration with the lack of police action, calling for more protection for small businesses. “It’s becoming more angering than frustrating,” he said. “The city needs to do something, not just our city, but all the cities, they need to protect their small businesses.”

Despite the challenges, community support remains a vital lifeline for Antipasto’s. “We do our best to put a smile back on our face and be happy for the customers who are walking through the door and showing support,” DeRose said.

The repeated burglaries have left Antipasto’s and other local businesses in San Jose’s Alum Rock neighborhood seeking more effective policing and community support.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.