VIDEO: The surprising thing a thief took from a small business in Eastpointe

An Eastpointe business owner and single mother of eight says her sense of security is shattered after she caught a man breaking into a truck full of items for her event planning business.

Items that were stolen include mascot costumes that are used for birthday parties and events. The damage to the costumes, truck and stolen merchandise adds up to over $2,000 in losses for owner Deonda Easley.

Deonda Easley

Nothing has ever come easy for Easley. She's had to work for everything in her life. At one point homeless and looking for guidance, she fell in love with event planning. Her business, Epic Meeting Space and Epic Entertainment Team on East 9 Mile Road has been a passion project for her and her children.

“We started off with no loan, no grant, non-business plan. We really just stepped out on faith and it just took off," Easley said. "It's a blessing."

Doing birthday parties, proms and all types of celebrations, her work requires costumes, which she kept in a truck behind her business.

Deonda Easley

On July 4 around 4 a.m., Easley caught a man on her surveillance camera breaking into the truck, damaging the door and stealing costumes including an Olaf costume.

You can watch the surveillance video below:

“We worked, we saved up and we invested into ourselves. And so for someone to take from us, it just hurts," she said. “The person doesn’t seem familiar to me. I have no issues with anyone, so no reason for anybody to have done that to myself or my business.”

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Eastpointe police say they have no one in custody at this time but are investigating. The suspect is described only as a male.

What shook Easley the most was the fact that the suspect looked directly into her surveillance camera. Easley says the action has made her lose sleep and her sense of safety.

“You took a piece of my peace away from me, and that can’t be easily fixed," she said.

Deonda Easley

Eastpointe police say all type of vehicles are being broken into in the area and recommend residents lock up and set up some sort of surveillance or alarm system.

If you recognize the man in the video contact Detective Marcel Prude at 586-445-9413.