The Mystery of the Bistro Robberies

The strange case of Moshe’s chain in Mumbai that has been robbed seven times since 2011

MUMBAI ~ One of Mumbai’s most popular chain of bistros, Moshe’s, holds an unusual distinction. Since 2011, it has been robbed a total number of seven times. The most recent case took place in its eatery-cum-corporate office at Colaba, where the thief used a drill to open the safe and stole Rs 70,000 in cash.

The first theft took place almost three years ago, at its Juhu eatery. This was followed by another burglary at the Cuffe Parade establishment, where the thief made away with Rs 2.5 lakh in cash. When the chain launched its next venture, at the swanky Palladium Mall in Lower Parel, this too was robbed. After two more robberies took place, at the Cuffe Parade and Colaba establishments, without the police being able to apprehend the burglars, the number of security guards at its Colaba office was increased and CCTV cameras installed at all eateries.

These steps did not prove to be much of a deterrent. In June 2012, a sixth robbery took place. This time, it was its Colaba eatery-cum-corporate office again. The thieves had smashed the cameras to avoid identification, and all that could be recovered from the footage were two unidentifiable masked men ransacking the office.

According to Moshe Shek, proprietor of Moshe’s, this spate of burglaries is perplexing, since so many precautions have been taken. In the latest case, however, CCTV cameras were able to capture images of the thief, and employees of the bistro were able to recognise him. The thief turned out to be Radhekumar Yadav, a former sweeper of the eatery. He has confessed to his crime. The police are currently investigating if he was involved in the previous burglaries as well.

Shek believes the police could have done their investigations better. Most of the robberies, he believes, were committed by staffers or ex-staffers who would then suddenly disappear. “Even this time, we were the ones who recognised the thief and led [the police] to his house,” he says.

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Shashank Kumar