Man caught on camera stealing from tip jar in West Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A man was caught on camera stealing money out of the tip jar from Jamaica's Cakes in West Los Angeles. The culprit dipped into the jar three times. To add insult to injury, he even stole a cookie.

The suspect, who was last seen wearing sunglasses and blue scrubs, walked into the restaurant at 11511 West Pico Boulevard and waited for the female worker to turn her back. That's when he reached into the tip jar and stole the cash.

He then ordered an espresso and while she made his drink, he struck again. This time, the suspect stole the change out of the tip jar.

"He bought a shot of espresso, threw in a quarter as a tip, only to take that quarter back out a third time he reached in there," said Jamaica's Cakes owner James Crist.

The suspect was not deterred by the sign in the window letting customers know cameras are rolling. He also didn't stop with emptying the tip jar - he stole a vegan chocolate cookie before walking out.

Robin Dixon is one of the employees who had her tips stolen.

"We work for our tips -- that's a customer service gig altogether. That gets us gas money, that gets us money for our utilities, all kinds of things, and to have someone just take it away for the sake of it, it's ridiculous," Dixon said.

Employees at the bakery believe he's the same man who ripped them off during the holidays. They remember his ill-fitting toupee.

"They noticed that their tip cup was empty again, and they put two and two together -- that was the same guy," Crist said. "So we know he's stolen twice from us now."

He's not the only thief going after someone else's hard earned cash.

On Wednesday, a female thief was caught on camera stealing from the tip jar at Komodo. Slice Truck Pizza also recorded video of a thief helping herself to the workers' tips.

Store owners are posting their surveillance video on social media, to put thieves on notice and to alert other businesses.