In one of the most bizarre incidents in recent memory, a restaurant in Greater Manchester is now left scratching its head after a woman was caught on CCTV stealing a designer sink from its customer toilet—and smuggling it out in her handbag.
Robert Melman, 72, the owner of Jardim Rodizio Grill in Altrincham, was shocked when a member of his cleaning staff sent him a photo showing that one of his prized, £150 sinks had vanished. Melman, who has spent 25 years in the hospitality business, described the incident as “very unusual” and said he never expected to see something like this.
According to security footage reviewed from the evening of February 20, a woman was seen entering the restaurant’s restroom with a large, empty-looking black bag. About 10 minutes later, the footage revealed her emerging from the restroom with the same bag now bulging—apparently containing the stolen sink along with its attached pipes.
“I’ve seen a lot in my years, but this is definitely a first,” Melman commented. “I have no idea how she managed to dismantle it so easily. It’s just not something you expect to happen in a restaurant.”
Interestingly, the CCTV even captured the woman passing by the restaurant’s buffet area on her way out, though she didn’t take any food—a small detail that only deepens the mystery of her true intentions.
Melman mentioned that while he has experienced other thefts in the past—including an incident where an electric bicycle was stolen—this particular case is in a league of its own. Despite the shock, he has chosen not to report the theft to the police, believing that law enforcement has “other important things to deal with.”
For now, the restaurant is focused on replacing the missing sink and reviewing its security measures to prevent future incidents. The strange theft has already sparked a flurry of reactions online, with many taking to social media to express disbelief at the sheer audacity of the act.
