Video

KVUE's Jessica Vess reports

> More KVUE News Video

• View larger
• E-mail clip
• More video

Search Video:

> > >

An Austin family lost their dream business overnight.

Jasmine Yates, her daughters and a family friend opened their first restaurant on a gravel parking lot off South Congress in April. It was a black trailer with a hot pink sign -- Chic Crepe and Panini. Inside the trailer, Yates made her family’s longtime French recipes for crepes and sandwiches. The plan to open the business was 12 years in the making.

On June 7th, a month and half after opening, their trailer -- along with everything inside -- disappeared from its South Congress parking lot.

"He took my dream away," said Yates. "It was the future."

Yates and her partner Kelli Essoufi sunk all they had -- about $20,000 -- into the business.

"(The lot where our trailer sat) is just empty," said Essoufi. "You feel very violated."

All that was left on their lot were a few folding chairs and tables.

"I can't understand how somebody can have no heart, no feelings," said Yates.

The trailer was one Yates rented from Jose Ricardo Olivas, 32. She says she paid Olivas for three months rent on the black trailer. She also hired him to outfit a silver trailer -- one she bought in February. Now, the black trailer with all of the restaurant equipment and the silver trailer are missing, along with Olivas.

"We went by his shop. The shop was closed," said Yates.

Police believe Yates isn't Olivas' only victim.

"He's been on the radar of the auto theft detectives," said Cpl. Scott Perry, Austin Police Department.

Detectives say Olivas is a suspect or person of interest in a number of other similar cases.

"Taco stand trailers, homemade trailers, trailer repairs and him actually selling trailers to people and then taking them back," said Cpl. Perry. "We can't find him…and we don't know where his property is."

Olivas is charged with auto theft in the disappearance of Yates’ trailer. There is a warrant for his arrest. While police search for him, Yates and her family cling to photos of their dream.

"I'm just there to make a living. That was my only source of income. He knew all of that," said Yates.

Yates and her partner continue to struggle to pay for their lease on the South Congress parking lot, a bill that costs them about $2,500 a month. They’re waiting for another chance to rebuild.

"Hopefully we'll be able to start over from scratch," said Yates’ daughter, Sophia Deliou.

Police say auto theft detectives are actively searching for Olivas. Yates holds onto hope that he will return what’s hers.