Caught On Camera: Woman Suspected As 'Tip Jar Bandit' Arrested In Beverly Hills
BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA.com) — A 20-year-old woman coined the "Tip Jar Bandit" was arrested Thursday on suspicion of stealing money from restaurant workers.
Beverly Hills police officers explained they were sent to the 9600 block of Brighton Way after a witness reported she was following a suspect who had stolen money from a tip jar on the counter of Brighton Coffee.
According to police, officers arrived in the area of Brighton Way and Rodeo Drive in about one minute and immediately detained Jessica Shub.
A preliminary investigation connected Shub to at least two similar tip jar thefts in West Los Angeles, and four in Beverly Hills. Authorities believe she stole up to $80 during each crime.
KCAL9's Erica Nochlin spoke with officers and watched surveillance video, which revealed how Shub was nabbed by police.
The interesting factor is that officers have known Shub's identity since at least Jan. 20. They were unable to arrest her because they were waiting for a judge to sign off on an arrest warrant, Nochlin reported.
According to police, it takes time to get the warrant approved for crimes like this, considered to be a low-priority misdemeanor, and Shub was able to strike again within the short time frame.
Officers said she was subsequently arrested and is being held on commercial-burglary charges.