Man Breaks Into El Pollo Loco, Arrested After Returning for Food: Police

Daniel Lee Warn, 28, was wearing a "distinctive" hat and green shirt when he burglarized and later patronized a Costa Mesa El Pollo Loco

A Southern California criminal’s craving to go back for seconds got him in hot water with authorities last week.

Daniel Lee Warn, 28, of was arrested by police Wednesday in a Costa Mesa El Pollo Loco restaurant after allegedly breaking into the location earlier in the day wearing the same outfit, officials said.

Police said a burglary was reported at an El Pollo Loco in the 1900 block of Harbor Blvd. Wednesday. No losses were reported from the incident.

Security footage showed a man dressed in a "distinctive" hat and green shirt entering the location through a drive-thru window and going through the registers looking for cash, officials said in a press release.

Later in the day, police received a call from employees of the chicken joint reporting a man—matching the description of the suspect—waiting in line to order food.

Police entered and arrested Warn. Authorities said he was still wearing the same clothing and hat as in the security video.

Costa Mesa Police said Warn is also connected to a string of recent commercial burglaries in the area which included break-ins at a local liquor store, DVD shop and chiropractic business.

Additional investigation is continuing to determine if Warn may be responsible for other recent commercial burglary incidents, police said.

Officials said Warn was sentenced to prison earlier this year, but was out as part of a post-release community supervision program.

Warn is currently being detained in the Orange County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

It’s not immediately clear if Warn has an attorney.

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