Elystan StreetA thief has been caught on camera stealing a box of langoustines from the doorstep of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chelsea.
The delivery, said to have cost about £200, was on the doorstep of Elystan Street restaurant when it was taken on Tuesday at about 08:00 GMT.
The theft of the coral-coloured shellfish, also known as Norwegian lobsters, has sparked concern within London’s fine-dining community, restaurant staff said.
Elystan Street restaurant shared the CCTV footage on Instagram appealing for witnesses, saying it wanted to “resolve this quickly and fairly”.
In the CCTV, a woman can be seen looking behind a flower bed before sliding out a white box and walking away.
General manager Becky McLaughlin said: “It’s just somebody that is clearly trying their luck and doesn’t really realise the impact something small to them has on a independent restaurant.
“If you think about all of the hard work that’s gone behind catching the produce and then getting it all the way from Scotland to London.
“There a massive domino effect and it’s a cost that now just has to be swallowed.”
She said it was the first time a theft like this had happened at the restaurant, but added she was “sure it happens across the city as well, which isn’t something that’s nice to hear”.
Another Michelin-starred restaurant near Liverpool Street, Galvin La Chapelle, said a similar incident happened there earlier this month.
The restaurant shared video of a woman rifling through boxes before allegedly stealing £800 worth of meat on 4 November. The theft has also been reported to the Metropolitan Police.
A spokesperson for Galvin La Chapelle said London may be “dealing with a repeat, targeted restaurant thief”.
Owner Chris Galvin said it was “devastating to see this happening in the run up to Christmas”.
He said: “The produce taken from us wasn’t everyday groceries – it was high-quality, premium meat, and for Elystan Street it was langoustines.”
He added that he feared the stolen goods were “feeding into other restaurants”.
Mr Galvin said: “These are items that simply don’t end up in someone’s home kitchen.
“As an industry already under immense pressure, it’s disheartening to face targeted behaviour like this, but we hope shining a light on it helps protect other venues from becoming victims.”
