Bakery keeps serving in 92-degree heat after thieves strip copper from rooftop AC

During a brutal Southern California heat spell, Sweet Red Peach Bakery in Pasadena was still serving customers with indoor temperatures hitting 92 degrees after thieves stole copper wiring from the business's rooftop air conditioning unit.

At Sweet Red Peach Bakery, that break-in has added major repair costs to the challenge of staying open through the heat wave.

What happened?

According to KABC, co-owner Danny Griffin said he was blindsided by the theft at a bakery that has been operating for only a little more than a year.

Pasadena police told KABC that about $4,000 worth of copper wiring was stolen on July 22 from the rooftop AC unit, and the damage totaled an estimated $15,000.

Even so, Griffin said the team kept working as the temperature inside the bakery rose. "It was the last thing in our mind to think that somebody would go on our roof and hit our specific AC unit and damage it to the point where it's inoperable," he said.

It was a particularly terrible time for them to lose air conditioning. The break-in came during an extreme-heat stretch in Southern California, causing the bakery's cakes to start melting, and the heat also interfered with freezers and other appliances.

Co-owner Kenyatta Glover said, "This just took us for a loop like mentally, and I mean, I've been crying the last two days. You have to smile to keep from crying, but it's a lot, because we're human. One can only take so much."

Why does it matter?

When cooling systems are damaged or fail during extreme heat, workers and customers can face serious health risks, including heat exhaustion, dehydration, and unsafe indoor conditions. For food businesses, there is also the added threat of spoiled ingredients, damaged equipment, and lost inventory, all of which can quickly drive up repair and recovery costs.

Griffin summed up the widespread impact, saying, "The staff suffers, the business owners suffer, the community suffers."

The pattern is not isolated: KABC also reported that a Trek Bicycle store a few doors away has dealt with repeated crime, underscoring how theft and other setbacks can intensify the financial strain on neighborhood businesses.

What's being done?

As the owners try to repair the damage, KABC reported that supporters have launched a GoFundMe to help the bakery recover. 

Customers are also showing up to help. Regular customer Ken Hitts said, "I normally get the chocolate chip pecan cookies. They're the best," and added, "I've been trying to support Danny and particularly African-American businesses, because they struggle probably more so than other businesses."

"We're going through it, and it's tough and we're barely open," Griffin said. The bakery's owners are more than halfway toward their GoFundMe goal, and remain hopeful that they'll make it through this extraordinary difficult time. "I think God's going to take care of it ... you can't have a testimony without a test."

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