An acclaimed Dallas chef whose treasured smoker trailer was stolen in July has uncovered video footage of the dirty deed being done.
The smoker belonged to Dallas chef Kent Rathbun and was stolen sometime between July 17 and July 21 from the parking lot of his catering kitchen. Rathbun is the Beard Award-nominated chef and restaurateur whose resume includes The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Abacus, Jasper's, and his current company Kent Rathbun Catering.
Rathbun was out of town and when he went to pick up the trailer on July 21, realized it was gone.
The smoker was a one-of-a-kind that Rathbun received in 2001 as a gift from the CEO and president of The Brinkmann Corporation, manufacturer of outdoor living products including gas and charcoal grills, smokers, and solar/low-voltage landscape lighting.
Over the years, the rig received lots of custom upgrades, including metal laser-cut ID tags with "Chef Kent Rathbun" affixed to every door — so personalized that Rathbun would recognize it anywhere, no matter what modifications may have been made.
Rathbun posted a plea on social media offering a $1,000 reward — "and probably a good amount of barbecue," he says — which quickly ballooned to more than $13,000, with contributions made from Rathbun fans and sympathetic parties.
Now Rathbun has secured a video that shows the theft taking place.
The video is 3 minutes and 25 seconds long, and takes place on Sunday July 20, at 10:30 pm.
It shows a white pickup truck, slowly patrolling the street, then coming to a stop. Two men wearing masks and hoodies get out of the truck and they've come prepared, brandishing a saw they use to break open the gate. Sparks fly.
They then use the same saw to sever the trailer hitch from its post. More sparks. They back the truck into the parking lot, then attach the trailer, and drive off into the night.
Unfortunately, the license plate is not visible, nor are the men's faces. But knowing they drive a white pickup and were there late on a Sunday night is still good information.
Rathbun says he got the video from their building. "It just took a while to access," he says.
He's also not optimistic that he'll ever retrieve the trailer. "I'm pretty sure it's gone," he says.
But anyone with tips can still call 214-704-0907. The reward is now up to $13,000.
