A California man was arrested this weekend after attacking a retired police officer who was trying to prevent the suspect from stealing a tip jar at a Starbucks, police said.
Police in Huntington Beach responded Saturday night to a report of a robbery at the cafe, according to the Orange Country Register. A police report stated that Francisco Cardenas, 26, grabbed the tip jar as a customer was placing money in it and ran to the parking lot. The customer, Scott Fahey, a 55-year-old retired police officer, ran after Cardenas in an attempt to stop him, police said. Cardenas grabbed a 40-pound metal sign and hit Fahey on the head, then came at him again, Fahey told the newspaper.
“You don’t want to do that,” Fahey said he told the suspect, who he warned that he was armed. “I will shoot you.”
Cardenas jumped on his bicycle and fled, according to police, who caught him a mile and a half from the scene and in possession of the jar, according to the newspaper. Cardenas was booked on charges of theft and assault with a deadly weapon. The tip jar contained $3 in bills and some change.
Fahey said he never thought twice about confronting the alleged thief.
"It was instinctive," he said. "I don’t like it when people prey on others.”
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