Authorities searching for accused tip jar bandit

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Some Asian business owners are warning others about a woman stealing tip jars at their restaurants.

Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Office are investigating the tip jar bandit is, after she was caught on surveillance, taking tip money from three different businesses, over and over and over again.

"She was waiting for people to be distracted and that's when she stole the tip jar," says Hoi Nguyen of Poke Hana.

Poke Hana off Mills, as well as Quickly Boba and Vietnomz in Waterford Lakes, reported the thefts to the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Orlando Police when they realized she was going from place to place.

"We caught the woman in the camera just snatched the tip jar right away," says Isabel Cho of Vietnomz.

Raven Nguyen of Quickly Boba Café by the University of Central Florida says it happened there too.

"As we turned our backs she took our tip money as quick as she could and ran off...  we realized moments later that all the cash was missing in our tip jar. It's just very frustrating and upsetting," she says.

While she got away with the cash from two different places, the owner of Poke Hana says his manager stopped her in time.

Hoi says, "He took it from her and told her to leave."

But these Asian business owners are concerned she'll  strike again.

Hoi says, "I think she's going for easy targets. Anywhere there's a tip jar out." Raven believes, "I think she is targeting Asian places."

That's why they're warning others to on alert.

Raven says, "We let our business owners in the area to be aware of this person. She might target you, she got away with it with us."

Hoi agrees, adding, "Definitely have a camera over the register and be alert."

Isabel says they may empty out the tip jar more often so it doesn't tempt others to steal.

"The fact that she's going around doing that everywhere is really shocking, taking away from small businesses and our servers working really hard for that is really disappointing."

If you know who the thief is call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.