More than 25,000 one-dollar bills have vanished after a masked burglar broke into a San Diego strip club in the early morning hours, and the owner says this wasn't some random smash-and-grab. Surveillance video allegedly shows the suspect heading straight for the cash using what the owner believes was insider knowledge, prompting claims of an inside job, a reward for information, and a police investigation into one of the city's most unusual heists.
A brazen early morning burglary has left a San Diego business owner searching for answers after a masked thief allegedly broke into a local adult entertainment venue and escaped with more than $25,000 in one-dollar bills, prompting suspicions that the heist may have been orchestrated with inside knowledge.
According to the business owner, surveillance cameras captured the suspect jumping a fence, forcing entry into the building and making a beeline for a secure area where cash was stored before fleeing with $25,300 in singles.
The burglary occurred around 5am on Monday, June 29, at Expose Gentlemen's Club, located on Kearny Villa Road in San Diego's Kearny Mesa neighborhood. Owner Dino Palmiotto told local media the suspect appeared to know exactly where to go once inside the building and believes the individual may have been communicating with someone by phone during the break-in.
"When he came in, he knew exactly where to go," Palmiotto said. "We believe he was on the phone with somebody."
According to Palmiotto, each employee authorized to access the club's safe is assigned a unique security code tied to their identity. He claims the code used during the burglary belonged to a former manager who was terminated approximately two months ago.
While Palmiotto said he does not recognize the individual seen in the surveillance footage, he believes the former employee may have provided alarm, office and safe access information to the suspect.
"We are pursuing criminal and civil charges against the former manager who provided the alarm, office and safe codes," Palmiotto told The California Post.
The stolen cash consisted almost entirely of one-dollar bills, the denomination most commonly accumulated through customer tips at gentlemen's clubs. Although the amount may seem unusual to some, industry observers note that clubs often hold large quantities of singles before making bank deposits.
Following the burglary, Palmiotto said he has installed additional security sensors throughout the business and is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect. Reports have varied on the reward amount, with local television reports citing $3,000 while later interviews indicated it had been increased to $5,000.
"As a small business owner and a former Marine, there's absolutely no way that we can let this go," Palmiotto said. "We've got to stop these people."
The owner also said the response from customers has been overwhelmingly supportive, with many patrons visiting the club specifically after learning about the burglary.
The San Diego Police Department confirmed it is investigating the incident but has released few additional details. No arrests have been announced.
Anyone with information about the burglary is encouraged to contact the San Diego Police Department.
Originally published on June 30, 2026.
