A flat-capped crook swiped two children’s charity tins within 10 minutes in a disgusting Sunday night crime spree.
The elderly man was caught on camera nicking the cash earmarked for sick youngsters from a takeaway and then a pub in Aberdeen.
He distracted staff and customers at Sizzler’s takeaway near the city’s bus and train station around 9.35pm before grabbing the charity collection from the counter and making off with it under his jacket.
Just a few minutes later he walked into Wagley’s Bar a hundred yards away and repeated the brazen act behind the backs of bar staff.
Police are now investigating the thefts in the hope of tracking the man down.
Sizzler’s takeaway owner Keith Crockett, a father of four, added: “These are kid’s charity jars. There’s one for CLIC Sargent and there’s the one that was stolen which is for a specialised cancer that affects behind the eye’s of infants and newborns.
“The charity jar actually comes from a friend of mine whose grandson suffered from it at birth. It’s very personal to me.
“To take a charity jar is diabolical but to take from a kid’s charity just seems that little bit worse.
“The strangest thing about it is that he looks like the last guy that would do something like that.”
In the CCTV footage the man can be seen using a tool to break the chain that secures the charity tin to the takeaway counter.
He then moves away as other customers come in before he ushering them in front of him – so he can get back to the tin.
He casually swipes it from the counter and places it under his jacket before making an exit – but not before picking up his takeaway order.
Mr Crockett, 51, said: “It’s very clear. You see him come in. He stands next to the charity jar and picks up a menu and has a look at it.
“One or two people come in so he takes a step back and invites them to move along the counter. He then goes back to the charity jars.
“One of the girls that was working went down the stairs and the other one turned her back to go to the fryer and then he lifted the charity jar and put it inside his jacket.”
Mr Crockett said the thief was so sly that he did not notice the tin was missing until Tuesday.
At first he thought it had been picked up by his friend to be emptied.
It was not until he reviewed his CCTV that he found out it had been stolen – from right underneath a security camera.
Around 10 minutes after the collection was stolen, what appears to be the same man enters Wagley’s Bar in the city’s Exchange Street.
The man can be seen reaching across the bar, freeing the chain tying the collection bottle to a beer tap and sliding it into his coat.
He then stands up and appears to makes his exit with the cash, which was for Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS).
Staff at the harbour boozer have since launched a charity appeal to try and replace the stolen money for sick kids this Christmas.
Donations can be made online at:
https://www.justgiving.com/WagleysBar/
.