Alleged Thief Returns Stamp After Social-Media Shaming
MODESTO (CBS13) — An alleged stamp thief had a change of heart after customers fingered him through social media.
The small-business heist at a Modesto shaved-ice shop had an unusual ending, with a community coming together to catch a crook.
Jenna and Ryan Woods are the husband and wife co-owners of Pura Vida.
"We're just two local kids trying to make an honest living."
The smiles are wide and the drinks are sweet. But some fans of this shop are also serious sleuths.
The shop owners shared surveillance video of a customer swiping their custom free-drink stamp.
"If they utilized that over the course of months or years, the product loss that would have drained the business is very substantial."
They posted the video to Facebook, and it turns out customers knew the culprit. This man swiping the cards while waiting for a drink order was identified—partly because of his unique tattoo.
They took the anonymous tips and posted the man's name on their Facebook page.
The shame apparently overcame the suspect. A note showed up, taped to the store's front door with the card stamp inside.
The shop owners say their crook also took cash from the tip jar. That money was not returned.
