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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.