Cardiff restaurant owner 'shocked' as CCTV captures brazen 'theft'

A restaurant owner was left in 'disbelief' after tables and chairs were taken from outside his premises in broad daylight.

CCTV footage captured two men walking up to Saraztro Greek restaurant in Wellfield Road, Roath on October 18.

The pair can be seen picking up three tables and five chairs, which had been left outside the restaurant momentarily by a cleaner who was working inside, and then walking off at around 8am.

The restaurant's owner, Agit Ceviz, said he and the cleaner were "in shock" when they realised what had happened.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "Our cleaner was working before we opened and he took the table and chairs out so he could clean inside the restaurant and behind the bar."He took them outside, he turned around and they had disappeared. He called me up and came straight down to the restaurant and we were just in shock, neither of us could believe it."

Wellfield Road has recently been plagued by break-ins, with at least three businesses on the street targeted over the summer.St Andrew's Coffee Court, which donates all its profits to a local church and is run by volunteers, was damaged two nights in a row in June as vandals broke into their horsebox cafe in the church courtyard, while Agit's former business Anatoni's Pizzeria was also broken into in May.

Agit, who opened Saraztro nearly three years ago, said the road has changed hugely in that time - and that more needs to be done to tackle these thefts.

"It seems to be happening everywhere," he said. "Thieves are breaking in and helping themselves to whatever they want - they're even taking bikes from outside the restaurants and businesses - and now tables and chairs.""The biggest issue we have is that a lot of people stay quiet, they don't do anything about it. I like to escalate the problem and make people aware about it - people need to know what's going on so we can try and stop this."Things like this happening show that real change has to be made - something has to be done."

How to help police

A spokesperson for South Wales Police confirmed the force is now investigating the incident.Anyone who may have seen the two individuals involved or has any other information is asked to contact South Wales Police quoting occurrence *2100365617You can do this via their online portal, by sending a private message on Facebook or Twitter, by phoning 101 or by emailing SWP101@south-wales.police.uk.