Nude Bongo-Playing Man & Beer-Swilling Thief Caught On Camera At Florida Restaurant

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Authorities reviewing surveillance video discovered a restaurant was broken into twice in as many days — first by a thief who helped himself to a meal and then a naked bongo-playing homeless guy who was just hanging out.

Police were called to investigate a November 6 break-in at The Chattaway restaurant. When they gathered footage from cameras, they observed a man feasting on food and washing it all down with some beer.

"He started off by getting a basket of chicken wings out of the refrigerator and eating those before he proceeded to steal a bunch of items,” said St. Petersburg Police Department spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez.

The thief swiped cash tips, a computer, a tablet, and other loot totaling $500.

“He made himself at home,” said Amanda Kitto, who co-owns the eatery with Winona Kitto. “He spent over an hour just milling around, going room to room, and eating and drinking while he did it.”

Though the thief also unsuccessfully tried to break into a safe, co-owner Amanda was surprisingly good-natured about the situation.

“I used to always joke and say that if you were going to break into The Chattaway to make sure to grab a beer,” she said. “And it finally happened.”

But authorities quickly realized The Chattaway is a bigger magnet for late-night guests than anyone realized when they spied a second man in footage recorded the night before in what they believe was the first break-in.

“We would not have known about the naked guy without the cop finding that video,” Amanda said.

The surveillance tape shows the man, wearing clothes, arrive at the restaurant in the early morning hours on a bike. He pedaled around the parking lot and then slipped onto the property through a gate.

Eventually, he headed into a restaurant bathroom, where he stripped nude, before exiting and sitting down at a picnic table. Unlike the first man who helped himself to The Chattaway’s food and beer, the homeless man feasted on Maruchan Instant Lunch ramen.

“He actually brought his own soup with him,” said Fernandez of the additional trespasser, who topped off his dining experience with a little naked bongo playing.

“He came in with pants on, but he rode off on the bike without pants,” noted Chattaway waiter Chad Pearson. “I’m not sure if he took his pants with him, but we didn't find them. We still don't know where his pants are.”

Co-owners Amanda and Winona, however, quickly realized the mystery visitor was actually Robert Brown, a homeless man who plays guitar for their diners.

“It's kind of a little embarrassing what happened,” Brown later admitted of getting caught. “Winona said that I could use the restroom, park my car here, and I did have some equipment in the back room there.”

“I knew I had access to the restroom,” continued the musician, who lives in his broken-down car. “So I went in and I cleaned myself up. Washed my clothes. And apparently that's when I was naked.”

Luckily for Brown, The Chattaway's co-owners have a sense of humor about the situation, which might have even gone undetected had the thief not broken into their restaurant the night before Brown’s visit.

“I'm okay with it. I just hope he's okay with it,” said Winona. “I mean, not everybody wants to show their fabulous tush, ya know?”

While the Kittos hold no ill will against Brown and won’t press charges, police are still on the hunt for the man who stole from them.

Read more: Tampa Bay Times, ABC Action News, WFLA