A CHEF who worked at the top of the culinary world has been forced to close his restaurant after it was broken into eight times.
Lee Skeet, 38, had no choice but to close Jackson's in Duke Street Arcade in the heart of Cardiff, Wales, after the "ridiculous" wave of crime saw the business burgled countless times.
The chef, who trained under Gordon Ramsey, also said the closure was down to a health issue he was battling, on top of the crime difficulties.
Lee also led the kitchen at London's then-Michelin-starred Hedone before opening up Jackson's in February 2023.
The oyster and seafood bar has received very positive reviews, with an average of 4.6 stars from 53 Google ratings.
Now however, due to a mixture of factors, the chef has confirmed the restaurant will close and be relocated to another area of Cardiff "where hopefully there will be less crime".
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Lee told WalesOnline the decision would allow him to focus on his fight against a serious health issue and to also spend more time with his family.
He explained how the restaurant had been targeted by armed robbers with knives, with staff having to tackle them to the ground.
The chef claimed to have caught five robbers in the act over the past year when he had been sleeping in the restaurant.
South Wales Police is working with arcade management at the site to help improve safety for businesses, citing the "devastating impact" of crime.
Lee says the physical and emotional strain of the job had become "more than it was worth", and explained how thieves had stolen iPads, money, and alcohol from the premises.
Police confirmed a 42-year-old man named Matthew Young had been jailed for 20 weeks after he pleaded guilty to stealing from a tip jar in the restaurant during a burglary.
He had been identified using CCTV and facial recognition technology from the crime committed on November 7 last year but he was not the only one to cause pain for Jackson's.
Lee recalled a situation when the restaurant's windows were smashed during one of the break-ins and then were boarded up by the arcade.
This caused the chef to sleep in Jackson's to try and protect the site and just three weeks later he spotted three burglars climbing through the broken window.
Two of the early-hours burglars were caught by Lee and he "accidentally" broke the arm of one of them.
He said the final straw for him was when police spoke about pressing charges on him for assault.
Lee said that since the arcade's CCTV was broken, police couldn't place the trio at the restaurant and no-one was ever charged for the burglary.
'THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT FOR MY LIFE'
On Wednesday, Lee entered the premises to find burglars had taken around £6,000 worth of goods and cash.
He claims the robbers had broken the lock to the storeroom and taken cash and sound equipment as well as a "priceless" art piece.
The artwork was an "irreplaceable" mixed martial arts canvas, signed by Lee's favourite fighter Leon Edwards.
Lee described how he felt like a security guard during the last few months of Jackson's at the arcade.
He said: "My job is not to catch criminals but I have caught a few this year.
"That is not what I want for my life."
Lee slammed crime rates in the area and claimed there have been 20 break-ins in the arcade over the past year, and is frustrated that "no-one" is doing anything about it.
Beyond crime, Lee also explained he'd been battling a serious health issue for the past few years and that this had required regular visits to doctors and hospitals.
Finishing the second year of their lease, Lee and his business partner saw a chance to "leave amicably".
Another factor was the Castle Quarter development scheme which is set to bring a food hall to a new courtyard area that will be accessed through the arcade.
Lee said parts of the arcade were being emptied out and tenants were not having their leases renewed, and so their decision worked out as good timing.
He did not speak in detail about his Michelin guide-listed restaurant Cora which is located in the unit above Jackson's, although he said it plans to continue as normal in the same location for the foreseeable future.
The relocation of Jackson's could take some months, Lee admitted, and he also highlighted how shopping numbers had been declining due to recent closures of tenant businesses in the arcade.
Inspector Adrian Snook of South Wales Police said specially-trained crime reduction officers are now working with the arcade to try and improve business safety.
He also highlighted that police presence has increased over recent months and has helped reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
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Around 625 crimes were reported in December in the police area of Cathays, which includes Cardiff city centre.
Of these, 199 were violent or sexual offences, 124 were shoplifting, and 80 were of antisocial behaviour.
