LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLA. (WSVN) - Police in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea are looking for two women who were caught on camera stealing a tip jar from a candy store.
The two women walked into Jan’s Homemade Candies, located at 4327 N. Ocean Drive, Monday evening.
Security video from inside the store shows the pair appearing to browse for a few seconds before spotting the tip jar next to the cash register.
The couple who owns the business, 71-year-old Bob Lendi and 73-year-old Jan Lendi, addressed the theft Tuesday afternoon.
“It just seemed like, I don’t know, they were up to no good,” said Bob.
“I said, ‘They look like gypsies,'” said Jan.
The surveillance footage shows one of the women, seen wearing a brown dress, looking into the camera lens before she grabbed the tip jar. The duo then walked out together.
“I noticed that the tip jar was gone,” said Jan.
The Lendis replaced the tip jar on Tuesday, but this new one was bolted into the counter.
The owners said they are currently dealing with serious challenges.
“We found out that [Bob] has five major blocked arteries in his heart,” said Jan. “I just had surgery two weeks ago, major surgery.”
As for the thieves, Jan said she hopes they’re apprehended.
“I hope that they get caught, and I hope that they have to have something of a punishment,” she said, “because if they start out with a little, 73-year-old’s tip jar as a start, they’re either going to end up in prison for life, or they’re going to end up being killed.”
Anyone with information on the identities of the women is asked to call the Broward Sheriff’s Office at (954) 640-4240, or contact Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.