W. Houston restaurant celebrates opening day, gets burglarized hours after closing

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A small, locally-owned business in west Houston was robbed just hours after its opening day, according to the Houston Police Department.

Shawarma Land's owners at 8571 Westheimer told ABC13 on Wednesday that the thief left behind broken glass and got away with their register with more than $1,000 in cash.

"I was saving every penny for this restaurant, and someone just - he did damage my property. It was sad," owner Mohammad Assaad said.

Once the thief entered, he ripped out the cash register and left through the back.

Assad said he was stunned when he came in the next day, even though he knew getting robbed in the area wasn't exactly rare.

"The next-door neighbor, she said everyone here got broken in, but not the first day (of opening)," Assaad said.

According to the ABC13 Neighborhood Safety Tracker, Assaad's business is in a crime hotspot.

In the last 12 months, HPD responded to 322 burglaries in an area that includes Rosewood General Hospital, Woodlake, and Briarmeadow, tied with the NRG Park area for the highest number in the city.

"I knew it was going to happen, you know. I just thank God (the burglar) did not damage refrigerators and machines," Assaad said.

Fortunately, Assaad bounced back quick. He said he chose this area because it's busy and his customer base is diverse.

The break-in is disheartening, but he said opening this restaurant was years in the making.

He said he spent countless hours renovating and experimenting with shawarma recipes until landing on what he felt was perfection.

"Just want to keep continuing, even if I have problems in the way," Assaad said.

Houston police are investigating the burglary, but nobody has been arrested.

For updates on this story, follow Alex Bozarjian on Facebook, X and Instagram.