Popular dessert shop Daan Go Cake Lab in Richmond is reeling after a shocking double-theft incident that left the team with thousands of dollars in losses.
According to CEO Christopher Siu, the break-in occurred early Monday morning on July 7th when thieves broke a lockbox off the wall, smashed it open, and used the key inside to enter the store.
The culprits first struck around 4 AM, making off with the till, cashbox, iPads, greeting cards, and even a bag of Chips Ahoy.
An hour later, they returned for round two – this time grabbing speakers, a jacket, the office’s safety deposit box, and a box of cocoa butter.
“They robbed us twice,” said Christopher, still clearly stunned by the audacity of the crime.
The estimated losses total between $8,000 to $10,000, which Christopher shared with Noms Magazine, that this is devastating for a small business like theirs.
“With our margins averaging around 10%, this loss is equivalent to an entire month of sales,” he explained.
To make matters worse, the theft came on the heels of a walk-in freezer breakdown just two weeks prior – a repair that cost the business over $16,000, not including spoiled product.
This is the first time Daan Go Cake Lab has experienced anything like this since opening in Richmond.
“It’s been especially hard,” Christopher added, referencing the financial strain of back-to-back blows.
The RCMP is still investigating, but the thieves have not yet been caught.
However, security footage from the plaza managed to capture images of the suspects in the parking lot, which have since been shared with authorities.
For now, the team at Daan Go is picking up the pieces and pushing forward, but it’s a reminder of the challenges facing small food businesses that goes beyond just the rise of food costs and lease hikes.
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Address: 4731 Garden City Rd unit 100, Richmond, BC V6X 3M7