New York Police Department's 42nd Precinct is searching for this man who was last seen removing a tin can filled with money from a Morrisania bodega in the Bronx, N.Y., on May 8, 2019. (Courtesy of NYPD)
New York Police Department's 42nd Precinct is searching for this man who was last seen removing a tin can filled with money from a Morrisania bodega in the Bronx, N.Y., on May 8, 2019. (Courtesy of NYPD)
Crime and Incidents

NYC Store Owner Makes Emotional Plea to Help Find Man Who Stole $4,000

By Richard Szabo
May 30, 2019 Updated: May 30, 2019

A Bronx convenience store owner is appealing to anyone who may be able to help identify a man who stole at least $4,000 on May 8.

New York Police Department’s (NYPD’s) 42 Precinct is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for any information on a man who removed a large tin can filled with money from the counter of a family-owned bodega in Morrisania.

“Wanted for a grand larceny [in] Morrisania, Bronx on May 8, 2019 at 10:55 a.m. (local time),” NYPD Crime Stoppers said on Twitter. “Reward up to $2500. Seen them? Know who they are? Call 1-800-577-TIPS … calls are confidential.”

Surveillance footage released by police shows the man appearing to distract the shop assistant before quickly reaching for the can filled with at least $4,000.

“While her back was turned he was trying to reach over and get the jar and, unfortunately, he successfully did it,” Store Owner Belinda Agyare told ABC 7 NY.

Agyare was devastated to discover the money had been stolen, after saving and trying to make ends meet on a budget for two years.

“I don’t know, it hurts a lot. It hurts,” she said.

Weeks later she still feels gutted especially since she was saving up to pay college tuition for her daughters, and each time she tries to watch the footage she feels so upset she wants to turn away.

“I was just saving money for my kids,” Agyare said. “I could not even take a look because I can’t, I can’t.”

The mother hopes someone who may be able to identify the man will come forward to police.

He seems to have dark complexion with a Latin American appearance, aged in his 30s, and of a medium build according to the surveillance footage. He was wearing a purple shirt and black baseball cap at the time.

Daughter Melody Adu, 19, encouraged people to help bring justice to her family and recover at least some of the money.

“That is a really evil man because that was our hard-working savings and he just took it,” said Adu who recently finished her freshman year at Howard University. “That was our hardworking savings and, like, he just took it within 10 minutes.”

The family has since installed a glass security door at the counter, a precaution she hoped she would not have to take since she always trusted her customers and thought they were decent people.

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