Ali Bahar, owner of Bengal Lounge in Woodham, Newton Aycliffe, was left devastated this week after his family-run restaurant became the victim of a burglary on Tuesday (January 14).
The 45-year-old, who has run the St Elizabeth Close venue for more than 10 years, captured the ordeal on CCTV, which shows a man darting through the restaurant wearing a puffer-style jacket and carrying a torch in his mouth.
The Darlington businessman believes a crowbar was used to force entry to the back door of the premises between 6.50am and 7.10am, before the intruder snatched the cash and fled.
Other footage captured on CCTV shows a man leaving the back door of the venue carrying a bag, before a van drives away.
CCTV of the incident at Bengal Lounge (Image: BENGAL LOUNGE)
Mr Bahar says the incident has left the business in shock, describing how Woodham is a “safe community” and a place they have been “proud to call home”.
He told The Northern Echo: “It happened on Tuesday morning, I went to the shop and the door was open. I think they used a crowbar to break the lock.
“I think somebody knows where we keep the money – they took the till money which was about £100 and then some supplies money, which was about £2,000.”
Describing how he discovered the restaurant had been broken into on Tuesday, Ali explained: “We arrived on Tuesday evening for the opening and that’s when I found out.
“I was thinking that I had left the door open the night before – but then when I opened the till it was empty and then I was shocked.
CCTV shows a man walking away (Image: BENGAL LOUNGE)
“I went to the back door and saw they had used the crowbar on the door and it had been broken slightly.”
Despite the incident, Bengal Lounge, which is praised online for serving “absolutely delicious” food and has scooped top awards, remained open on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ali continued: “There are very nice people in Woodham and we have never had trouble with any of the customers in our restaurant.
“It has shocked me. We have been here for 10 years and it has never been like this.”
Bengal Lounge has since been met with many positive comments online, with one person saying: “I hope you find out who it was. You guys work hard and it’s an amazing place.
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“I loved working with you, absolutely shameful someone doing this.”
Durham Constabulary has confirmed that a probe has been launched into the burglary, saying a “substantial amount of cash” was taken.
The force has asked anyone with information to ring on 101, quoting incident 321 of January 14.