Police: Catoosa restaurant burglary, arson an inside job

CATOOSA, Okla. (KTUL) — A man is behind bars tonight after police say he tried breaking into a Catoosa restaurant safe.

Boomarang Diner Owner Penny Cowles says the would-be burglar is her own employee, 30-year-old Joshua Villarreal.

It's business as usual, despite a hectic morning involving police.

"It's a bad way to wake up in the morning," said Cowles.

She got the call at four in the morning. Her manager told her someone tried breaking into their safe.

"Then they called back and said the fire department was coming down because they smelled gas," said Cowles. "Once they got here, they sawpropane tanks."

When she looked at the surveillance video, she says it was clear it was one of her workers.

"It's very disappointing," said Cowles. "You try to help someone out by giving them a job and you trust them and then they turn around and do this to you."

According to Detective Courtney Bates with the Catoosa Police Department, Villarreal tried to melt open the restaurant safe with propane tanks and a torch. It was smoldering, which caused damage and set off the fire alarm.

"I mean it was kind of a strange place for it to happen," said customer James Bryant. "I don't like to see that stuff happen around here. I hear about it too much."

Around 4 p.m. Saturday, police picked up Villarreal shortly after he showed up for work.

"He's worked here for about 8 months," said Cowles. "And now he does not."

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Villarreal is in custody and booked into the Rogers County Jail, facing charges of Arson in the Third Degree and Embezzlement.