Businesses near Great Ancoats Street react to a Bitebox restaurant burglary. Staff express fear and frustration.
Greater Manchester Police got a report saying Bitebox got burgled around 1 AM. The restaurant was taped off initially, and investigators were seen working inside. The front door looked broken, with glass all over the ground there.
The restaurant is on Islington Wharf’s ground floor; this building is by the Ashton Canal. People at nearby businesses seemed surprised.
Ann works at House of Tinu hair salon. She said she’d never seen crime there in her nine years of work. Ann said everyone gets along well, and she will check on Bitebox staff later.
John’s Local staff weren’t as surprised. Husna Azam said there are many thieves, and they often deal with shoplifters there.
Husna has run the shop with her husband for five months now. She feels afraid to work alone sometimes, but her husband tells her not to chase thieves, saying they might have a knife.
Someone stole vodka worth £80 last week. Husna said they work hard for that money. She hasn’t reported thefts to the police, asking, “What’s the point?”
A police spokesperson gave a statement. They got a burglary report at 1 AM on Great Ancoats Street on March 5, 2025. No arrests have occurred yet. Police ask people with info to call 101, quoting incident 74 of March 5, 2025.