Tattoo equipment stolen, burglary at Bay View tattoo shop

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee police are investigating a smash and grab burglary at the Bay View tattoo shop, Spectrum Tattoo Studio.

The owner, Ruben Alcantar, said he's disappointed. "I felt defeated,” he said. “This is my whole livelihood."

According to MPD, the shop was broken into sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The business was left in disarray. "There was glass all over the sidewalk, and came in, the door was shattered into pieces," Alcantar said.

The thieves got away with several items, including two tattoo machines worth about $700 each, a handgun, PlayStation and T.V.

However, the biggest blow was Alcantar’s Mac computer. It contained tons art he spent hours drawing.

"Most of my schedule, most of my art is in there, so now I have to wipe and re-do everything."

The computer also had some irreplaceable items.

"I had tons of my kids’ photos from when she was little and now I don't got that."

Alcantar is now looking at getting surveillance cameras. "Putting up reinforcements, cameras. I definitely learned my lesson this time," he said.

Police are investigating. They are no suspects at this time