Restaurants are being warned across the city, that restaurants are being broken into by a similar fashion and robbed. Two Jamaica Plain restaurants had their doors smashed and registers robbed in January.
JPizzle Kitchen and Abuela’s Table were both robbed on Jan. 14 within minutes of each other. Both restaurants had video recordings of the robberies.
At 2:22 am, video showed an individual throwing a rock at JPizzle’s window numerous times, and once in, go straight for the register, and tried to open the safe lockbox, according to police. The suspect was wearing grey colored gloves, a black hoodie, black pants, black shoes, a ski mask, and a baseball cap. An undetermined amount of money was stolen.
Around 2 am, video showed an individual breaking into Abuela’s Table by mashing the door with a rock. The suspect was a man of thin build wearing dark clothing, with a distinctive dark baseball hat, and was operating a white scooter. An undetermined amount of money was stolen.
JPizzle is at 536 Centre St., and Abuela’s Table is located at 416 Centre St.
Back on Oct. 5, Same Old Place and JP House of Pizza were both broken into by having something thrown through the glass door, and had their registers robbed. Police found a big rock at Same Old Place by a shattered door, and a red brick was found at JP House of Pizza. Same Old Place is at 662 Centre St., and JP House of Pizza is at 775 Centre St.
JP Centre/South Main Streets let restaurants know about best practices to hopefully avoid being robbed.
- Display an empty cash drawer so any passer-by can see the empty register.
- If it’s possible, install video cameras to catch evidence and discourage would-be robbers.
- If you have a frequent visitor, offer excellent customer service that includes making eye contact, getting to know them in a friendly way, and making it a point to remember anyone who visits more than once. If they are just a customer, they will love this customer service. If they have other intentions towards your establishment, they will not like the attention.
JP Centre/South Main Streets is helping restaurants via its Emergency Loan Fund. The loan has has 0% interest rate, up to $5,000, and will go back to loan fund for future use, and businessed are asked to make a donation of 10% at the end of the loan term.
