Insecurity has tightened its grip on Bogotá with a spate of armed assaults in popular restaurants, leaving patrons shaken and the gastronomy sector on high alert. In a series of daring attacks, diners are the prime targets, forced at gunpoint to surrender their valuables, including wallets, jewelry, and cellphones.
The alarming trend began to unfold on the evening of February 6 when a brazen armed robbery took place at Masa, a bakery and café on Calle 81 with Carrera 9, near the heart of Zona T, Bogotá’s bustling dining and nightlife district. Masked assailants, wielding revolvers, stormed the establishment, instigating chaos as patrons were robbed in a swift and calculated manner.
A subsequent incident on Sunday targeted the Usaquén restaurant Abasto, where two thieves seized the opportunity to snatch a Rolex watch from one of the guests. The criminals, however, were met with an unexpected twist when the stolen timepiece was, in fact, a fake.
The most recent incident occurred on Monday evening in the Cedritos neighborhood, where the popular hamburger haven, Pecado Capital, fell prey to a mass robbery orchestrated by two audacious motorized thieves. Just after 8:30 pm, the restaurant’s patrons found themselves at the mercy of an armed criminal, who, after menacing threats, took off with cellphones and cash.
The worrisome trend has sparked concerns within the gastronomy sector, forcing establishments to reassess security measures and leaving patrons concerned that eating-out in Bogotá has become an unnecessary risk. One diner at the Masa robbery described the ordeal as harrowing, given that many women were robbed at gunpoint. “There was screaming inside the restaurant, as a fairly young guy was assaulting everyone,” he remarked to the media. Police turned up at Masa, half-an-hour after the robbery.
As authorities launch investigations into three high-profile incidents at venues very familiar to visitors and expats, the impacted establishments are grappling with the economic fallout of the security situation in Bogotá, that will require more police on the streets and restaurant-goers more cautious as to which personal accessories – jewelry, watches, and electronic devices – are really needed to enjoy the capital’s vibrant and energetic culinary scene.
