Montreal police investigating rash of West Island robberies

A rash of burglaries on Montreal’s West Island have home owners and merchants concerned.

In just the last few weeks, several addresses have been targeted multiple times, including Bistro Nolah in Dollard-Des Ormeaux which was broken into

Thursday night was the second time in a month, and co-owner Chris Eamer said he’s fed up.

“Between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. someone comes in, throws a brick through the window or kicks it in, and they come in. They’re here for about five or seven minutes,” he told Global News while waiting to have his front window repaired.

He says the masked person went to the counter near the bar, dumped some items on the floor then left.

“I think they’re looking for cash because they don’t seem to take anything else,” he said, pointing out that they do not keep cash inside the restaurant.

Rootz Coiffure, not far from Bistro Nolah at the Blue Haven mall, was hit the night before. Co-owner Patric Sabbah wonders what’s going on.

“The first time (a year ago) they shattered the front door and they came in,” he recalled.  “In less than two minutes he was in and went out from the back.  Then the second time, which was two days ago, he broke through a big window.”

At least three stores at the mall on Saint-Jean Boulevard have been broken into over the last month, including Dhiru Gohil’s Singer’s sewing store at Blue Haven mall

“They broke my door and they enter inside, went to the cash, they broke my cash,” he said.

All across the West Island there have been several reports of break-ins, both in businesses and homes.

“They broke the window in the front, they came in, they went to the cash and went out the back door,” stated Nick Tsoukalas, co-owner of Nikkos Pizza on St Jean, north of Blue Haven.

At the On Rock food bank it’s gotten so bad president Kim Reid put a handwritten message inside a freezer for a thief which reads, “It takes a special kind of person to steal from a food bank.”

“He comes in about once a week,” said Reid.  “He comes in between 1 o’clock in the morning and 5 o’clock in the morning.”

In a statement on its website, Montreal police say they arrested two men Sept. 6 in Laval, who they allege committed at least eight burglaries.

“Searches subsequently carried out at the home and in the vehicle of the suspects revealed an impressive amount of loot,” the statement reads. “Luxury watches, a large number of valuable jewels and the sum of approximately $20,000 in cash were seized by the police.”

In a separate statement to Global News, the police service said, “after verification, we do not notice an increase in reports of thefts in businesses in the West Island sector.”

They say their investigations are continuing.