A COFFEE SHOP in Ohio turned a bad deed into a very compassionate one.

When a man was caught on surveillance camera stealing money from the barista’s tip jar, the staff of the Nervous Dog Coffee Bar took it a lot better than many would. Instead of calling the police or pressing charges, the shop has announced that they’re hosting a food drive for the man who they presume must be in ‘desperate times’. Manager Scott Moses viewed the surveillance and told WKYC that the man

stuck his hand straight into the tip jar and took out as much as he could get and walked out like nothing happened.

But considering that it’s a time of giving, Moses didn’t assume the worst of the man.

We assume that if he was desperate enough to steal tips, he’s probably in desperate times.

Along with their sister store in Akron, the company has decided to host a food drive to collect for the unidentified man. A note was posted to their Facebook page, with an appeal to find the ‘bald dude’ that is seen dipping his hand into the tip jar as a barista makes his coffee. No questions will be asked, there will just be food waiting for him.

Folks- we figured anyone desperate enough to steal a few bucks from a kid working her way through college, is likely pretty hungry. So we thought we would initiate a canned food drive for him; we’ll begin with a can or two from each employee, and make a box available in each of our shops for your kind contributions.

The support definitely wasn’t universal, with some commenters saying such a move was encouraging the tip thief.

Wow, I can’t believe he did that. I don’t know if giving this guy donations is helping at all. Although your hearts are in the right place , the fact that he drove himself to this ‘coffee shop’ doesn’t scream struggle to me.

Another user questioned how he was able to afford a coffee if he was struggling so much.

I agree if he can afford a $4 coffee he’s probably not struggling. He’s probably just greedy and apathetic.

However, Moses thinks their display of compassion is not just about this one man, saying that while it “definitely started a discourse”, the coffee shop are “trying to show awareness that people are going through hard times”.

They’ve collected three boxes so far, with the barista who served the tip thief being one of the first to contribute. If they fail to locate the man, all donations will be sent to the local food bank.

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