Local News

Newton pizza shop robbed twice in 10 days, police seek suspects

Multiple bottles of alcohol and "mixers" were taken both times.

March 19, 2023

1 minute to read

A pizza shop in Newton was broken into and robbed for the second time in 10 days, according to the Newton police department. Newton police are now looking for two individuals that were involved in stealing bottles of alcohol from Stone L’Oven Pizza in the Waban neighborhood.

The first break-in occurred March 10, and most recently, the store was robbed around 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

During both incidences, the suspect entered through the front door of the shop after breaking the window. Multiple bottles of liquor were taken each time, as well as drink mixers, owner Al Gionai told Boston.com. The register was untouched.

Video footage from the second break-in shows one of the two individuals going straight for the bar. One of them grabbed the bottles, while the other waited outside. Gionai said it “seemed like they knew exactly what they were going for.”

He said he moved the camera after the first break-in, but he wasn’t expecting any of this.

“The cameras were there just for me to look in and see if we’re busy and if I need to go in and help and whatnot,” Gionai said. “Here we are, we’re using it for this.”

Gionai added that he loves the neighborhood, but it’s been “an uphill battle for the last few years” financially.

“We’re trying to make a living, now we’ve got to deal with this crap,” he said. “It’s becoming habitual and that’s the last thing we want to encourage.”

By getting the word out, Gionai said he hopes the break-ins will stop, and he and the other small businesses won’t have to worry.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact the Newton Police Department at 617-796-2104. Anonymous tips should be sent to 617-796-2121.