Man caught on camera shoving donation bin inside car in brazen theft

MALDEN, Mass. - Surveillance cameras caught the moment a Malden man stole a donation bin in the middle of the day.

Malden Police said a Burger King employee on Broadway Street started recording the thief's brazen but clumsy attempt at shoving the donation bin into his car.

The cell phone video shows the man struggling to put the bin in his vehicle, so much he wasn't able to shut his car door.

An employee said the donation jar, halfway full of change, was right on the front counter near the registers. The bin was collecting money to help local schools.

Because it was all change, it is unclear how much money was in the bin.

While the suspect may have gotten away, police have identified him as Shawn O'Leary of Everett.

Authorities say this isn't the first time they've run into O'Leary.

"Without being overly aggressive they did make him aware that he was being watched and did try to speak with him but as you can tell by the video it clearly didn't work," said Officer Powell. "[There were] several incidents in the past so we were able to easily identify him."

A warrant has been issued for O'Leary's arrest.

Cox Media Group