Café Pista on Beaubien Street Robbed Three Consecutive Nights in Montreal
A popular café in Montreal's Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie borough is facing a distressing series of break-ins, with the establishment robbed three nights in a row this week. Owner Maxime Richard reported losses exceeding $10,000 and is urging community members to remain vigilant.
Details of the Break-Ins
The back door of Café Pista on Beaubien St. E. was forcibly entered overnight on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Management announced the incidents on the café's Instagram page on Wednesday, detailing how the latch was initially forced open, making subsequent entries easier. A motion sensor failure on the door prevented the alarm from triggering, with a security company scheduled to inspect and repair the system this week.
Manager Théodore Fabre described discovering the back door ajar and items scattered across the floor when an employee arrived to open the café. The thieves stole cash, merchandise, over 60 bags of coffee, a freezer's worth of gravlax and ham, two iPads, credit card readers, and a safe attached to the countertop.
Historical Context and Community Impact
This setback comes nearly a year after Café Pista's downtown location was robbed 20 times in 30 days following a neighboring building fire in April 2025. Richard expressed surprise at the Beaubien location's vulnerability, noting the area's family-friendly reputation compared to downtown. He emphasized that the café had no security issues for the past decade prior to this week.
In response to the thefts, the café temporarily offered free coffee as they lacked payment systems. Richard estimates significant costs for repairs, with commercial-grade doors starting at $5,000. The back door now has three locks installed, and security cameras have been added at all three Café Pista locations along with new security protocols.
Police Response and Community Support
Montreal police declined to confirm an investigation, stating they aim to preserve operational integrity. Despite this, community members have shown strong support, with many visiting the café during recent ice storms to offer encouragement. Manager Léa Sanchez Alonso highlighted this solidarity as a source of strength for the staff.
Fabre, who worked at the downtown location during its 2025 robbery spree, recalled how homeless individuals took advantage of fire damage to ransack the basement. Richard suspects the same perpetrators are responsible for all three Beaubien break-ins, citing the time required for proper door repairs as a factor enabling repeated entries.
