Toronto police are investigating after a popular bakery in Kensington Market was robbed this week.
On Jan. 28, around 5 a.m., two unknown suspects broke the glass door at Little Pebbles and robbed approximately $200 from the cash register.
Store manager Nisha Goel tells Now Toronto that the door appears to have been broken with a glass breaker and that there were two suspects based on camera footage: one standing outside, another doing the robbing inside.
“While the glass shattered, the baker was still inside the kitchen, heard the noise, and came outside running to see what was happening,” Goel said
“By the time the baker reached the front, the robber had already taken the cash and coins from the register. As soon as they saw the baker, “they left—probably within one or two seconds, they just ran away,” Goel added.
Shortly after, the baker called her and told her to “‘come fast. Somebody broke the glass, and he took all the cash, whatever was there in the cash drawer.’”
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Goel explains that a girl working nearby called the police while the break-in was in progress. The police took photos and tried to follow the guys, “but still, nothing.”
Toronto Police told Now Toronto in a statement, “Police responded to a call for a Break and Enter in Progress at a business in the Baldwin Street and Spadina Avenue area. There is a report on file for this, and this is an active investigation.”
No suspect description is available at this time.
In an Instagram post, the cafe shared the heartbreaking incident. “5 AM. Broken glass. Shaken hearts. This is the side of small business no one posts. Immigrant dreams are built the hard way – and protected even harder. We clean up and open again. Always,” reads the statement.
“It’s January, which is already the slowest month of the season for any business, I would say. Coming here, being an immigrant, with all the hardships and receiving all those single pennies that we could and starting a business. A local restaurant already comes up with so many huddles, government, policies, rules, regulations, which we are not really aware of, and slowly and gradually, we are becoming aware of them,” she explained to Now Toronto.
She adds that Little Pebbles is taking this as a hard lesson, and need to invest in better tools and equipment at the cafe to prevent future robberies. “Every day is a new learning experience as an immigrant or as a business person,” Goel said.
Even with an optimistic outlook, Goel shared that events of this sort cause fear within staff at all locations. “It makes it tough to work alone in the space in the early mornings. With the bakery, we have to come at like three or four in the morning… But you never know when things can happen.”
Luckily, there are cameras, but the incident has left the staff feeling uneasy.
But, Goel says this setback is not holding them back, and that Little Pebbles will “never quit. The doors can break, glasses can shatter, it’s just the same courage we built this place.”
Little Pebbles is still open to customers from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. While they’re working to get repairs done, the cafe has covered the door with cardboard to keep the heat in.
Goel shares her love for the Kensington community and the Little Pebbles coffee-goers’ support.
“I’m overwhelmed by the support and love people are showing right now on Instagram and Facebook. I’m really glad the community is there and that there’s still a little kindness. Honestly, that’s one of the biggest reasons that keeps us going too.”
