A restaurant hit by two burglaries in three days has taken a unique approach in talking about the break-ins - by saying the burglar could have asked him for work if he was struggling. Asjad Chowdhurty, owner of The Raj Pavilion on Grove Hill Road, Tunbridge Wells said the curry house had been targeted in the early hours of September 29 and again on October 1.
The alleged burglar was caught on CCTV footage roaming inside the restaurant after he managed to break in through the door. Items he stole include tablets and money.
As reported by KentLive, father-of-two Asjad, who lives with his wife and children said it was "a bit scary" watching the burglar wandering around the restaurant, which opened in 1998. He also said at a time when restaurants were being hit by spiralling costs after enduring the pandemic, it was difficult to cope with the theft of money and items needed to run the business.
There has also been the cost of beefing up security at The Raj Pavilion. "We're living week to week," he told KentLive.
"Gas, electricity, all these things are hitting us hard. Our gas bill has gone from £1,400 to £3,800.
"Everything is through the roof. When you face this sort of incident, it really puts you down.
"It's really hard. This is what is bothering me, we have survived so far because of our loyal customers.
"I was excited to get the Christmas bookings, but when you see this, you think 'what is going on?' But I will not give up."
He was very keen to alert everyone, whether they ran businesses, or simply lived in the area, to be vigilant to the risk of burglaries. He could hardly believe the restaurant was hit "not only once, but twice".
"What about elderly people? Someone could just break in, or other shops and restaurants.
"I don't want anyone else to suffer. Everybody is struggling."
Asjad has a kind-hearted approach to the burglar who broke in and stole from him. "If he had come to me and said 'I am struggling or I want help' I would do some good.
"I would have given him work. What he did has not only financially affected us.
"It has mentally affected us too, because we are struggling," said Mr Chowdhurty, who is the son-in-law of well-known Jewel Zaman, who ran the restaurant before him. Kent Police said a 43-year-old man from Tunbridge Wells was arrested by a plain-clothes officer in connection with the offences as well as in connection with the theft of a bicycle and a washing machine.
He was later released "pending investigation". Patrols had been on high alert following recent thefts in the town including at Fenwick, HMV and public building The Amelia Scott.
Serial thief Daniel Findra was arrested on September 29 at just after 9am as he left Boots in Calverley Road precinct, after hundreds of pounds worth of perfumes were stolen. Findra, 36, of no fixed address, was taken into custody and bottles of perfume were found on him.
He appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court the next day. He pleaded guilty to four counts of theft.
He was ordered to carry out 100 hours of community work and pay compensation totalling almost £800. Sergeant Ed Kavanagh of the Tunbridge Wells Community Policing Team said: "Along with plain-clothes officers who blend in with the crowds, we use visible targeted patrols in order to gain valuable intelligence and identify potential offenders.
"Shoplifting is not a victimless crime and it is certainly not something we are willing to tolerate in this town. Offenders like Findra can have a drastic effect on businesses, which often have little choice but to pass on the cost of thefts to law abiding customers."
Kent Police still works with retailers through the Shop Safe scheme which allow retailers to communicate with each other via radios monitored by police. The joined-up communication is said to help early identification and arrest of offenders.
