A thief stole a donation box filled with money in University City Friday that was supposed to help homeless animals.
It happened about 3 p.m. at My Sister’s Closet and it was all caught on surveillance video.
“It’s really disgusting to me. It’s really bad,” employee Randy Patterson said. “He was probably in his mid-30s, told several of our associates that he was waiting for his wife. Just going from chair-to-chair, just walking around, didn’t really think anything of it."
Employees said the man was in the store, casing it, for more than an hour.
When all the employees were busy helping customers away from the register, the man casually walked over and put his bag on the floor and put the donation box inside it.
“It was like $100, $150 dollars,” Patterson said.
The money was slated to go to the Rancho Costal Humane Society in Encinitas.
“It sickens me because he’s stealing from a place that needs the money,” Patterson said.
“My first reaction was who does that? Who takes money away from animals like this, and then my mind went into, what is their situation? They felt like that was their only option,” John Van Zante with the Rancho Costal Humane Society said.
The money was set to go toward things like veterinary care for homeless pets.
“If you recognize the person in the video please report it. You will be doing the animals a favor and you are probably going to be doing the person a favor,” Van Zante said.
