Staff at an Auckland coffee shop are stunned after a man brazenly stole a donation box for cancer patients from their counter.
CCTV footage shows the man lifting the box and hiding it inside his puffer vest while at Devonport's Chiasso Coffee Roasters on Monday afternoon. Two other people are also in the store with him, but it's unclear if the trio were in the same group.
The footage shows the man appearing to request something from the employee. When they turn around, the man can be seen stealing the small white container.
The coffee shop posted the CCTV clip to a community Facebook page, hoping a local may recognise the thief.
"Keep an eye out for this guy (in the red hat). [He] stole our donation box on Monday," they wrote. "[The] money goes towards supporting people with cancer, nice one."
Newshub contacted the police to see if the theft had been reported, but they had no record of a formal complaint. A spokesperson says a complaint may have been made via the 105 number, which is for non-emergencies, but they are unable to see those records.
The theft of the donation park has sparked outrage in the community, with some labelling the man an "absolute scumbag" and a "lowlife".
"Can you get any lower than stealing funds from cancer patients?" one said.
