Exclusive video: Burglar robs Long Island restaurant, prepares meal like a pro

HICKSVILLE, Long Island (WABC) -- An unusual break-in was caught on camera inside a Mexican restaurant on Long Island.

Nelly's Tacqueria in Hicksville had an unwanted visitor around 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

A burglar was captured by surveillance cameras.

But does this thief really need the cash, or does he just really love the tacos there?

The video shows him as he wanders around the kitchen, puts on gloves, goes through the fridge, picks his ingredients and then starts cooking beans, chicken and shrimp!

He did all of this in near darkness!

"He was working the pot like a pro. He was sifting the food. Shaking it around. Making sure it was heated evenly, distributed evenly," the manager said.

As his meal is warming up, he breaks into the cash register with a hammer, pockets $100, but then leaves a dollar in the tip jar.

Then he eats and appears to savor every bit.

The manager at Nelly's says the suspect spent about 45 minutes inside.

"He knew food safety skills," the manager said. "He would change gloves frequently after handling food and then handling another object."

Just wait until you see how this thief broke in.

He removed bars and then squeezed through a tiny space in the back window.

His footprints could be seen below the window sill.

And that's not all.

When he's done, he washes and dries the pots and hung them back up.

He even wipes down all the surfaces and picks up crumbs off the floor!

Then, he covers up the food and puts them back in the fridge.

"He used the Saran Wrap the way I used Saran Wrap. You know like a pro," said Nelly Balacios, the owner.

The owners say if he wasn't a crook, they'd hire him!