E-40’s Restaurant Gets Robbed Before World Cup Watch Parties

E-40’s Oakland restaurant gets hit by burglars who steal equipment meant for FIFA World Cup watch parties and community events.

E-40 recently woke up to a violation that cut deeper than just stolen goods.

Two thieves broke into The Lumpia Company early Sunday morning, and they didn’t just take equipment and food from his Oakland waterfront restaurant.

They stole something that can’t be replaced: the community’s safe space, the gathering place where families watched movies together and strangers became friends over lumpia and laughter.

The break-in happened before 3 a.m. at the Brooklyn Basin location near Jack London Square, and security cameras caught everything.

According to the Patch report, the thieves made off with thousands of dollars worth of equipment, food, and merchandise. But here’s what really stings: they grabbed the gear that was set up for FIFA World Cup watch parties.

They took the tools that made community events possible. Movie nights. Comedy shows. Karaoke. All of it paused now because some people decided to destroy something beautiful.

Co-owner and chef Alex Retodo posted on Instagram about the aftermath, and his words hit different.

“This hurts because it’s not just equipment,” he wrote. “It’s the experiences we’ve worked hard to create for our community.”

The community responded immediately with support, but that doesn’t erase what happened.

Other business owners who’ve been hit before understood the feeling.

Retodo said they’re moving forward anyway. “We won’t lie, this one hurts,” he posted. “But we’re still here. We’re still serving lumpia, and we’re not going anywhere.”

That’s the resilience that defines the Bay Area, but it shouldn’t have to be tested like this.

E-40 built something real at The Lumpia Company, and according to Patch, thieves tried to take it away. They didn’t succeed, but the damage is done.

E-40’s three-decade reign in hip-hop has always been about building something bigger than himself, and this restaurant was part of that legacy.

Video footage from KRON4 shows the suspect’s face, and Oakland police are investigating.

Related