Job offer for tip jar thief

Four months after two teenagers nicked the money from a Taranaki restaurant’s tip jar and returned hours later to try to spend it, the pair have apologised and returned the cash.

And Chere Bailey, New Plymouth’s Delux Diner’s owner, has even offered one of the youngsters a job in the restaurant.

‘‘It’s a really positive outcome, it makes me smile,’’ Bailey said.

In February the two 15-yearold girls came into the American diner and swiped what Bailey guessed was $30 from the tip jar before fleeing the restaurant.

‘‘No one’s ever done that in New Plymouth, that just doesn’t happen,’’ she said.

The pair returned later in the afternoon and ran when staff spotted them. The staff believed the teens intended to spend the money they had stolen earlier.

After the incident Bailey decided to go to the police.

‘‘I could easily have replaced the money for the staff myself,’’ she said. ‘‘But I felt like I have to do something rather than nothing.

‘‘If we allow youth to get away with this sort of thing, what are they going to grow into?’’

Since then Bailey has met with one of the girls and talked everything over and received the apology letter and cash from the other. ‘‘We thought it was $30 taken and she’s given us $40.’’

The diner owner was so happy to see the teenagers had ‘‘empathy’’ and ‘‘understood the implications’’.

She thought the pair would never be caught, let alone apologise, and decided she wanted to help one of them a little more in life.

‘‘I even offered to give her a job because she showed an interest in cooking and hospitality,’’ Bailey said. ‘‘I’d definitely help her in any way I could.’’

Bailey posted the letter on Facebook and the post had received a lot of positive interaction from the public.

‘‘They were supporting the girls for standing up and taking ownership.’’

SIMON O’CONNOR/STUFF New Plymouth’s Delux Diner had its tip jar stolen in February. Owner Chere Bailey has since received apologies, cash and offered one of the teen offenders a job.