Grape Tree Cafe owner Osbourne Bodden has expressed disappointment following the theft of 100 pounds of seasoned fish that was stolen from the popular Bodden Town eatery over the weekend.
“It’s just unfortunate that society has gotten to where people don’t respect people’s property and they just want the easy way out. They don’t wanna work, they just want a quick buck,” Bodden told the Cayman Compass on Thursday in a telephone interview after police issued a statement on the theft.
He’s calling on the community to report the culprits who made of with $750 worth of fish from the Bodden Town Road business.
He said he is stunned that, after almost 13 years of business, people would steal from him.
“It’s very disappointing, it’s very upsetting, and very hard for businesses to survive like this. You’re there, you’re trying to make an honest living and I’m a person that is helping in the Bodden Town community all the time,” he said, adding that he suspects he knows who is responsible – and has previously helped them.
“I helped them on a regular basis. It is very disappointing and there’s no need for them to go to this extent, because if they come and ask me for a dollar, I’ll give it them,” he said.
Bodden said the fish was cleaned and secured on Saturday evening, as normal, at the storage container.
However, on Sunday the theft was discovered.
“They basically cut the screen and went in. Luckily they didn’t take all of it. We had three or four containers of fish ready for Sunday and they went with the biggest one. That was over 100 pounds so it took two people to move it from the location and they were seen going through Cumber Avenue with it,” Bodden said.
Theft did not slow operations
He said he felt sorry for his team, as they had done all the prep work for Sunday sales, only to have to redo their efforts early on Sunday morning.
“When they should be resting, they had to come in really early in the morning and prep another container of fish, otherwise we wouldn’t have had enough for the busy Sunday that we had. But at the end of the day, we had enough fish and we made it through. So it’s a loss, but it’s one of those that you just pray for them and hope that they will see the fallacy in their ways,” he lamented.
Bodden said he also pitched in and helped with the frying to keep the business going on Sunday, as it is a Cayman tradition to head up to East End and he could not leave his regulars disappointed.
He is asking the community to be on the lookout for anyone with seasoned fish trying to “make dough or they know the Grape Tree taste, so they taste it somewhere, they can tell me”.
Look out for cheap fish
Police, in their statement, said the matter is currently under investigation.
They said they received the report on Monday, 16 Jan. that 100lbs of fish was stolen from a container at the rear of the premises.
Bodden said the area was unsecured, but he did not think there would have been an issue as there had never been a problem prior to this.
“Society is not what it used to be and I guess we no longer will put the fish there, that’s for sure. We’ll secure it better and we’ll be more prepared next time,” Bodden said.
Police have advised the public to be wary of anyone attempting “to sell a large amount of fish under suspicious circumstances, such as at greatly reduced prices, as they may be attempting to sell these stolen items”.
Anyone with any information on this theft, or who may have reason to suspect someone has attempted to sell them stolen fish, is asked to contact George Town CID at 949-4222.
Anonymous tips can be provided directly to the RCIPS at 949-7777, or via the police website.
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