Thieves cut huge hole in Ottawa restaurant wall to get at jewelry store next door
Moe Hussain says he is still disbelief that his Ottawa barbecue restaurant was broken into—and out of—during a heist to steal a jewelry store safe.
Hussain owns and operates Moe’s BBQ on Bank Street in the Towngate Shopping Plaza. On Sunday, the restaurant was broken into, robbed, and a giant hole was cut in the wall that is shared with Le’s Jewellery next door.
He had no idea what happened until he arrived around noon on Sunday to prep and open the restaurant.
"When I came in, I saw my kitchen dismantled and moved around and I was really confused, was it a prank? And who would pull this prank?" he said.
Hussain saw the extent of the damage when he went to the front of the restaurant.
"As soon as I came to the dining area, I turned around and saw a giant hole in the wall," he said. "And then I thought (next door) is a jewelry store, that is what they went after, all the jewelry, so I called the cops."
Hussain says he also had to call the fire department because the thieves cut some pipes to get through the walls. They were leaking and Hussain was worried about flooding.
In a statement to CTV News, Ottawa police said, "Initial observations are that the break and enter occurred at a restaurant to gain access to an adjoining commercial unit, a jewelry store. This investigation is in its early stages. There is a significant amount of property damage to the jewelry store."
Police provided no other information.
Moe’s BBQ Smokehouse restaurant was used to gain access to a jewellery store on Bank Street as part of a heist to steal a safe. Thieves cut a hole in the wall that separates the two businesses. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)
One side of Hussain’s restaurant is completely torn apart. Wood panels, nails and wall installations flung about, and electrical wires cut through. The thieves also ripped out the security system.
"They took the hard drive and the DVR that records all the video footage," said Hussain.
Moe’s BBQ Smokehouse restaurant was used to gain access to a jewellery store on Bank Street as part of a heist to steal a safe. The restaurant was severely damaged in the process. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)
Hussain says he still does not know how much all the damage will cost. He is still looking for construction workers and consultations.
"I am worried about who I am going to find to fix the restaurant to the way it was before, if it is ever going to be like it was before," he said. "With insurance, the premium will go up, so I have to decide if I am going to go through insurance or my savings."
He is also worried about the impact on his staff.
"My main concern is my employees, how long are we going to be closed, as they going to miss their pay."
Moe's BBQ Smokehouse is next door to Le's Jewellery. Thieves broke into Moe's and cut a hole in the wall to access Le's safe. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)
The owners of Le’s Jewellery told CTV News they are shocked and heartbroken, but declined to go on camera.
Hussain echoed the heartbreak.
"It is very heartbreaking, and feels violating and you almost don’t want to believe that it is happening. It is your dreams, and everything," he said.
Hussain hoping to reopen by the end of the week for takeout.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Evacuation order issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods as wildfire nears
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
BREAKING 'A remarkable time': After 8 years at Toronto Public Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa announces resignation
The doctor who led Toronto through the COVID-19 pandemic as the city’s top public health official is stepping down.
BREAKING Sask. man faces 60 charges in child exploitation investigation, with crimes dating back to 2005
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.