Chef Jose Pizarro was lying on a beach in Spain last Sunday when he learned his London tapas bar, Jose Tapas Bar on Bermondsey Street, had been broken into for the fourth time in two years. The burglary occurred in broad daylight at 5.40am, with thieves stealing bottles of spirits and wine. Estimated damage, including broken glass, is £600.
“I felt very sad and very angry, but also very calm,” Pizarro said. “Because this is a normal thing now; I’m used to it. It’s almost like, whatever, another one.” He emphasised that the stress and moral impact outweigh the financial loss. “My team had to deal with getting there at 6am, working out what’s going on. It’s the fact that it keeps happening again. Stealing is becoming normalised. I’m really angry with the system that allows this to happen.”
Wider crime trends
A British Retail Consortium survey revealed shoplifting cost UK retailers £400 million last year, with one theft every six seconds. Shoplifting has more than doubled since the pandemic, reaching 5.5 million incidents in 2025. In London, shoplifting surged 50% from 2024 to 2025. A 2023 Home Office survey found nearly half of retail and wholesale premises experienced commercial crime in the past year.
Pizarro, who now runs six UK restaurants, opened his first in 2011 on Bermondsey Street. “Back then, everyone was lovely and I felt absolutely safe. But now, it’s not the same. People don’t feel as safe. In the last few years you see a lot more homeless people and those who need help. If you have an addiction, you’ll do anything for a bottle of wine. We need to support them – and for the police to be strong.”
Police response and frustrations
After the recent break-in, a local police officer emailed Pizarro acknowledging “more burglaries than usual” and offered to help identify perpetrators, noting many are homeless drug users. Pizarro finds police “very sweet” but believes they lack resources. “There’s not enough money and not enough people. You need to make the police strong; thieves don’t have any fear. The police and government need to protect us.”
He also reported staff having phones stolen by thieves on bikes or motorbikes after work. “You finish a hard day, want to talk to your partner – and some stupid kid steals your mobile. It’s public disorder, young people intimidating others.”
Tax burdens and dine-and-dash
As a business owner facing recent tax increases, Pizarro finds it unjust. “I pay my taxes and deserve a safe business. I’m happy to pay tax if I make money, but now it’s overpaid. People think three busy restaurants mean I’m making a lot – I’m not. I’m doing fine, but many new businesses will struggle.”
He criticised a 2025 anti-phone-theft campaign in London with signs warning “Mind the Grab.” “I cannot believe it. Why not pay more police to stop stealing? Imagine what someone from outside London feels – they need to feel protected, not scared.”
He also noted an increase in dine-and-dash incidents. Last week, a man left without paying a £140 bill. Pizarro wanted to post the man’s face on Instagram but was advised against it. “They told me the problem would be mine. I don’t charge my team, but other businesses might make waiters pay. Can you imagine someone earning £150-200 a day having to pay that?”
Call for change
Pizarro hopes for more police action against shoplifting, thefts, and break-ins. “They’re making it impossible to run restaurants and small businesses. It’s very tough now. In the past, I felt a lot safer. The only thing we need to do is keep going.”
