An Invercargill fish store worker described chasing down a man who allegedly stole a charity donation box.
Mita Reo Webster (36) was arrested on Friday afternoon and charged with robbery in relation to an incident at family business King’s Fish Market in Invercargill.
Duty manager Josie Ross said while it was scary for the staff, it was not unusual.
She estimated it was the fourth time somebody had stolen or tried to steal from the store in her 10 years there, but it was the first time anyone had gone for the charity box.
Ms Ross said a man came in and ordered some crab sticks and half a scoop of chips.
A staff member heard him mumbling under his mask and asked him what the problem was.
He yelled "I want my f...ing money back".
The man allegedly continued to swear and call staff names.
Ms Ross said she told him to get out of her store, which prompted him to take the donation box from the counter and run away with it.
A worker who was trying to stop him was pushed on to the road by the alleged thief.
Ms Ross chased him down the street and ripped the box out of his hands, claiming back all $48 of the spare change customers had donated to Paw Justice.
"I wasn’t going to let him get away with it," she said.
Staff and customers were uninjured.
Ms Ross said they were "sick of it" and had noticed an increase in similar incidents in recent years.
Webster did not enter a plea and was remanded in custody to reappear next month.
felicity.dear@odt.co.nz , PIJF court reporter
