Ishaan and Ninder Johal were inside their new restaurant on Southwest Walker Road, still building out the space, when someone drove off with their dining room.
Surveillance footage shows a man in a cap and dark flannel backing a white pickup truck into the parking lot of Tandoori Nights around 8 a.m. on Aug. 3, hitching the cousins' white utility trailer and pulling away. Inside that trailer: four single booths, five double booths and a custom swing, all upholstered in blue leather and built specifically for the modern Indian restaurant's grand opening.
The Johals are now offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the trailer's recovery, KPTV reported Friday, Aug. 7.
"We're more than willing to forgive and forget," Ishaan Johal told KPTV. "We just need our furniture back."
The cousins and co-owners had planned to unveil their full dining room and bar within two weeks. Without the custom seating, that timeline could slip to September. Tandoori Nights is currently serving to-go orders from a preview menu while construction continues, but the stolen furniture was the centerpiece of the sit-down experience the Johals have been building toward.
Johal said the family has been working hard to create a space where people feel welcome, and called the theft unfortunate.
How to help
The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating under case No. 50-26-10937. The stolen trailer's license plate is U554528.
Anyone with information can call the sheriff's non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 or email the restaurant directly at [email protected].
Upcoming community events
- Saturday, Aug. 8: Beaverton Night Market, 5–10 p.m. at The Round (12600 SW Crescent St.). Free. The annual event, established by the city's Diversity Advisory Board, features vendors, performances and food.
- Saturday, Aug. 15: Beaverton Music Festival, noon–9 p.m. at City Hall Plaza and The Round. Free, with food trucks, a beer and wine garden and more than 20 vendors.
