Gazala Halabi arrived to her eponymous Middle Eastern restaurant this morning to discover it had been broken into overnight.
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Gazala’s is located at 447 Amsterdam Ave, between 81st and 82nd streets. The first thing the chef and owner saw when she got to the restaurant was broken glass.
This was the second break-in at Gazala’s in the last few months. Halabi tells us the first incident appeared to be much more “professional.” This time, the thieves left a huge mess.
While they took the cash register, she says there wasn’t that much in it, and she’s much more concerned about the safety implications.
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Unfortunately, there’s no surveillance footage from inside the restaurant, so catching the robbers may be a long-shot.
Halabi aims to reopen as soon as possible.
Gazala’s has had a presence on the Upper West Side since 2010 when it opened on 78th and Columbus Avenue, right above the former P&G Bar and right next to the former Ocean Grill. It closed its 78th Street location in 2015, reemerging at 447 Amsterdam in 2018 (replacing The Meatball Shop).
NYPD officers told Halabi that there were five “recent” break-ins at neighboring restaurants. Details of exactly when and where these incidents took place weren’t immediately clear.
UPDATE (4:00 p.m.): We’ve now discovered that both Billy’s Bakery (410 Columbus Ave at 80th Street) and Blossom (507 Columbus Ave between 84th and 85th streets) were also broken into overnight. Both are open for business.
This is awful. The city has to get tough on crime again. There is no other solution. The liberal (I am a life-long Democrat) soft-on-crime approach is not working!
David:
How would “tough on crime” work in these cases?
Do you propose putting cops in every restaurant with glass doors?
David, let me explains. Crooks are emboldened knowing there is no bail and no repercussions to crime. Paula
Paula:
If someone is caught for this, there will be a prosecution and consequences, so unlike when Wall Street steals billions.
Within the past few weeks, there were similar incidents of smashed glass windows at businesses on that very same street corner – St James Gate and Orwashers. Seems hard to imagine it’s just coincidence.
Keep voting them in. You asked for it.
No stop and frisk. Sending everyone back out on the streets. NYC is a mess.
How would the unconstitutional “stop and frisk” have helped here?
We just had an Election Day and voted for this.
Disgusting. These restauranteurs work hard and bring great value to our neighborhood Time to bring back metal gates.
You can bet many businesses are considering metal gates.
But I’m surprised there weren’t a security cameras at Gazala’s; the gear has become much cheaper and better in the last 5 years.
These are awful and criminal acts. That said, “stop and frisk” is completely irrelevant to any of these unfortunate break-ins. Video evidence has been highly effective at catching those who commit crimes. Business should be supported and assited in obtain effective surveilence that meets their needs and budgets. An interior Ring (or similar device) would help nab those involved. Stop and frisk when used legally in line with the US Constitution is effective. Unfortunately, NYPD abused and continue to use their power to profile fellow New Yorkers to illegally search and seize them. This is determined by an SDNY judge after extensive hearings with evidence presented and questioned. NYPD needs to make legal arrest that will hold up in court. For years including now they don’t. I see more officers looking at their personal cell phones and chatting with each other than looking out to protect us.
Where da fuzz????
This is enough!
It’s time to bring in the national guard until all this crime settles down. Never mind the owners paying for cameras why can’t the city. I see Cameras on many streets.
No longer is it being swept under the carpet. The word is out about the increase in crime in NYC. Now is the time because if we keep going in this direction it’s only a matter of time before tourists will stop coming theaters and retail stores close.
This is an expensive price to pay. Much cheaper to use our tax dollars on security cameras. The subways are getting disgusting again and people don’t feel safe.
Not only is tourism effected by crime so is Real Estate.
Anyone have any ideas?
Forget the Mayor and the Governor. I hate To say it but we were better off with De Blasio.
Not to mention all the good that Andrew Cuomo did for us during COVID.
Tell me something. Where are all the police that we are supposed to see in the subway stations and on the trains? How many more people will get hurt or worse. Why wait for a tragedy to happen.
Even the thugs are frightened. C’mon.
If you want to get chills up your spine watch “Death Wish 1”.
Meme:
Do you have any idea what crime in NYC was like in 1999?
No.
I do. When Giuliani was in office I could walk down the street or along Central Park West at 3am..and feel safe. He also cleaned up the mafia bullshit.
Cop cars driving by.
More cops in the subway.
Criminals had to make bail
They had prosecutors to follow thru.
You dont have shit now backing you. If someone attacks you..the victims fault now..especially if you are white. Reverse racism..is just racism.
Why do you think all the good people are leaving. Those who saw the writing on the 2 YEARS AGO!
Masks, vaccines? for a cold virus with a 99.97% survival rate?
You waking up yet???
This city had 3 golden periods economical and growth. 1890s-1929 1940s-19960s 1992-2004 2013-2019 Notice a pattern…. they get shorter and shorter.
It’s over..they are not getting you back to normal. Federal Reserve has printed your dollar into oblivion and sent 80 Billion to Ukraine…which is huge money laundering country. Not to mention Putin TOLD you they were going in for denazificiaton. Sorry you news didnt report it to you. Take your complaints to them.
Other states not putting up with this crap..so figure it out. Get out before they lock you in.
“I do. When Giuliani was in office I could walk down the street or along Central Park West at 3am..and feel safe.”
And the drug dealers that were on my corner, a very prominent one on the UWS, until 2001?
You’re have a delusional view of crime in the Giuliani era.
David Dinkins was mayor for all of 1992 and all of 1993.
Crime doesn’t appear to be only thing sassilou has delusions of
Still don’t get it. This is by design. Its not crime popping out from nowhere. You have zero bail. You have zero prosecutions. This is what happens when you let the criminals KNOW they will get off.
Its by design.
Its by design.
Its by design.
Why is Florida, Tennesee, Texas, Wyoming, and about 30 other states so safe?
Constitutional 2A, in the home and conceal and carry with the backing of county sherrifs, local and state governments that back their citizens to arm and defend themselves.
It keeps taxes low. Courts and crime low.
When are marxists boot lickers gonna wake up??? Really.
Florida and Texas aren’t particularly safe.
the violent crime rate in Miami is much higher than in New York City.
This stems from the legacy of Cuban exile groups being involved in the drug trade, because they could get a pass from the Coast Guard.
You have a lot of work to do to ground yourself in reality. What makes you think those places are safer than here?
Exactly how marxists work. democrats ARE marxists puppets. SCHUMER, PELOSI, BIDEN have been in politics since the 60s! Pelosi being the oldest…
HAS ANYTHING THEY have done BEEN FIXED in 60 years? And YET people keep voting for them.
How HOT does the water have to get till the Frog jumps out.
300,000+ already left Manhattan..and that’s just Manhattan…TWO YEARS AGO!!
Im not even talking about outter boroughs or NY State.
Marxists..break and destroy the middle class so the people on the upper echilons have all the land, power and wealth and control thru two classes…this does not include your landlord. He’s in the same class as you according to their point of view.
Which do YOU think you will be in when social justice communists useful idiots finally give their puppets what they want. Go look at what happened to the brown shirts.
NEW YORKERS VOTED FOR THIS!!!
Chuck Schumer, Biden, and Pelosi sure have done a lot of favors for big banks and other huge businesses while being “Marxist puppets”.
Oh for crying out loud, go outside and touch some grass.