Rocks were thrown through the windows of Andiamo Italian Ristorante on Oct. 25.
BELLEVUE, Wash. — A Bellevue man is in custody, accused of causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage at a beloved local restaurant.
Police say the suspect threw large stones through the front windows of Andiamo Italian Ristorante late Saturday night. The restaurant sits across from the Bellevue Library, where plywood now covers the broken glass.
Co-owner Cristian Matoi discovered the damage around 11:30 p.m. while checking in on his business.
“There is no point to do such crazy damage. There is no way to do that. Who do that?” Matoi said.
Inside, tables were covered in shattered glass and broken bottles. “It’s kind of break your heart to see all this damage,” Matoi added. “I don’t know why. I don’t know who.”
He estimates repairs will cost between $20,000 and $30,000.
According to Bellevue police, witness tips helped officers track down and arrest a suspect just hours after the vandalism. Investigators believe the man also damaged other properties in the area the same night.
Even with the arrest, Matoi admits he’s nervous about the future. “We’re going to fix the windows, I hope as soon as possible,” he said. “And I don’t really want to go to bed every single night knowing or coming back again here to see another disaster.”
Despite the boarded-up storefront, loyal customers continue to fill tables inside.
“It just looks a little sad,” said longtime customer Aimee Brice. “But we’re going to keep coming no matter what happens. They need the support of the community.”
And support, it seems, is plentiful. Matoi said he’s overwhelmed by the loyalty of his regulars. “I love them so much,” he said.
Bellevue Police say property crime overall is down 32% citywide compared to last year.
Dining and Cooking