BALTIMORE — Papi Cuisine, a restaurant in Baltimore says it's been dealing with multiple false claims from neighbors who want to see their business crumble and now they're looking for a woman who they say set their restaurant on fire.
Early Monday morning around 6:30, a woman is caught on video walking in the alley next to Papi Cuisine.
The owner, Alex Perez, says she used cocktail bombs, throwing them in the dumpster and at the receiving door on the side of their building, destroying a dumpster and their door.
It resulted in at least $30,000 in damages.
"There's CO2 tanks right behind the wall and this could've been catastrophic if one of those things ignited," said Perez.
Above their restaurant are apartments. Perez is thankful the sprinkler system ignited when it did, avoiding disaster.
"This could've turned from damage to possibly murder," added Perez.
Frustration continues to mount for Perez because he says neighbors here have been constantly working to get rid of Papi's.
Complaints range from parking and trash, which doesn't make sense to Perez.
"What could it possibly be? We just don't know. Trash gets picked up. We are literally just operating a business. There's no shooting or stabbings or anything that happens in our restaurant," Perez said.
On April 26th, Papi's liquor license renewal was approved much to the dismay of some neighbors.
"The board did not sign in their favor, and a few days later it's just crazy that this happens so we do feel it was targeted," said Perez.
Papi's is back up and running.
The crime is under investigation. Perez is confident the person responsible will be found.
