Burglars take $20,000 worth of items from SF restaurant the day of its soft opening

SAN FRANCISCO - On the same day Georges Hawawini was slated to host a soft opening for his new restuant Xebec, buglers broke in and stole more than $20,000 worth of inventory. 

On Tuesday morning, a group of people in dark clothes broke into the new restaurant located on Gough St. in San Francisco's Hayes Valley neighborhood. 

Security camera footage given to KTVU by Hawawini, shows the group in the kitchen and on the bar. The group loaded up duffle bags and a recology bin with almost every bottle of alcohol from the bar and odds and ends including sugar packets and set of silverware. 

Hawawini, who has been in the restaurant industry since 1992, said he's using it as motivation. 

"This just fuels me," Hawawini said. "I'm not gonna let something like this affect us because I do believe in a trickle-down effect. I'm not just saying that."

Though he said he is confused by what the burglars decided to take.

"We have no idea what the system was, what they were thinking," Hawawini said. 

He is thankful they didn't cause any property damage, but still plans on filing an insurance claim in hopes of recouping some of what was lost. 

Accoridng to Hawawini, San Francisco police spent nearly four hours at the restaurant Tuesday searching for finger prints or any other clue that would lead them to find the suspects. 

The incident is still under investigation. 

Xebec will officially open on June 5.