Any time someone is the victim of a break in, it can take a toll on them mentally and financially.

For owners of local business Radical Gardens, they’ve endured this and much more after their Fifth Avenue restaurant and store front was breached early Thursday morning—the seventh such occurrence since May.

And the setbacks haven’t stopped there.

Their van was also vandalized this past August at the Great Canadian Kayak Challenge and Festival.

Despite all this, owner Brianna Humphrey hasn’t been phased and the store has been running as normal as it possibly can.

Humphrey says the love for their work is what keeps her and the staff motivated.

“We love cooking for people,” she said, “I love catering people’s special events and I love coming to work every day and I love my neighbours…we’re a small, tight knit crew here and we’re like a little family.”

And while she admits the thefts have been discouraging, not one to mince words, Humphrey says “all of us are like ‘Alright well, if you want to kick in our door, fine, it’s not going to deter us, but we might come kick in your door once we figure out who you are.'”

This latest theft saw crucial items taken, like a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 laptop needed to operate the store till, as well as a phone.  The laptop charger was left at the scene.

They also had to throw away all the food thieves decided to put their hands on.

Anyway, as of 9:30am Thursday, one person has been arrested.  One other person remains at large.

Humphrey says they have to upgrade their security system today, which runs a cost over $1,000.  The problem is the store doesn’t have that kind of cash just laying around for them to spend.

“The dude that broke my door, guaranteed, has more money than me,” she said, “I am a farmer and a restaurant owner, I’ve resigned myself to a life of destitution.”

As a result of the break in, the store won’t open Thursday but will open Friday for an “epic meal” they’ve been preparing all week long.

After that, the store will be closed until January 25th for staff to recharge for 2017, a much needed break for a business that “everything that could go wrong (for them) has gone wrong in the last 3 months.”

“If my crew doesn’t take a break, they’re going to get discouraged,” said Humphrey.

The store is located on the corner of Fifth and Balsam South, a neighbourhood that has a reputation for high crime rates.

However, Humphrey says there are no plans to move.

“Nobody really wants us in their neighbourhood, let’s be honest,” she added, “Also, I love my neighbourhood.  These people that break my stuff aren’t necessarily the people that are my neighbours and also I own the building and no one is going to buy it in the ghetto so it’s near impossible to move.”

She says it could also be part of a bigger problem, a drug culture in Timmins that has gone out of control.

“Our drug addiction problem in Timmins is brutal,” Humphrey says, citing a low to good paying job rate, combined with high taxes and a general sense from the community—not including Humphrey—that there’s nothing to do in town.

“(With that in mind), you’re bound to have an insane drug addiction issue so regardless of where I would move in the city, fentanyl patch smoking weirdos are still going to break my windows.”

“It’s a societal issue.  But the people breaking into my building want nothing more than money for a fix really…and cupcakes.”

For the Radical Gardens crew, they have plenty of support from the community in general.

One is working with Humphrey to install further security measures on their doors and windows.

As well, a GoFundMe page has been set up by a good friend of the store, identified on the page as Marty B.

Humphrey says it was set up because Marty’s sick of hearing about the constant break ins.

She adds she doesn’t like asking for money, but at this point, “we are so broke, we literally don’t know what to do.”

If you want to contribute to the GoFundMe page, you can find it HERE.

You can also follow Radical Gardens on Facebook.

As for the suspect on the loose with Humphrey’s laptop and phone?

“I want my stuff back,” she said.

“I’ve been out hunting for you all day.  I will find you and I will get my stuff back.  Or you can just return it to me.  I won’t call the cops and I won’t break your legs, I just want my laptop.”

If you’re going to return it, better do it quick.

“At this point, if it is not returned to us by 6pm, you better believe that half the city will be out looking for you and something will happen,” Humphrey said.

“I’m annoyed, we’re past the point of playing nice about this.”

Filed under: Local News