String of Petty Thefts Worrying Businesses in the Poconos
By Carmella Mataloni of WNEP-TV
EAST STROUDSBURG -- In surveillance video, clear as day, you can see a thief sticking his hand into a bucket, pulling money out and stuffing it right into his pocket. He does this twice.
It's the tip bucket at the Beerhouse Café on Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg.
"As soon as someone came to help him, he just kind of stood like this and acted like he was inquiring about the burgers that we had. He ended up not getting anything and just left," said C.C. Chadli, Beerhouse Café Manager.
Earlier this week, someone in similar clothing nabbed a Toys for Tots donation canister from a diner in Stroud Township.
No arrests have been made, and police have not said if there is any connection.
"It just sucks that there are people out there that would rather not work hard for their money, especially during the holidays," said Chadli.
Just a few businesses down Crystal Street from the Beerhouse Café, in East Stroudsburg, is Tony's Pizzeria. Workers there are also minus one tip jar. It happened last week.
"It happens. We've had our dog stolen, you know, there's a chain on it but you turn around for one second and that's all it takes," said Carlo Prestipino, Tony's Pizzeria Co-owner.
After all the thefts, business owners are keeping a better eye on their tip jars, moving them farther back from customer reach with the hope that nothing like this happens again.
"Definitely a lesson to be learned," said Deborah Kuchinski.
Kuchinski owns the newly opened Brodhead Brew on Crystal Street. She had about $150 taken from her tip jar last week.
"It was a young gentleman, dressed in a hoodie, with dark clothes on. He was asking me about oatmeal and I felt really bad for him. I was actually going to feed him some oatmeal. He said, 'I'll be back,' and then I noticed a few minutes later, my tip jar was gone," said Kuchinski.
The fourth theft happened at the Lackawanna Hotel, where a purse was reported stolen last week.
No arrests have been made, and again, police have not said if it's the same person committing these crimes.
Video and Story from WNEP-TV
