Cafe manager left ‘furious’ after early morning theft

‘When I greeted him, he told me to “Get the f**k away from the counter.’

Glendon Street Cafe employees Bronte McNeil and Kylie Kertsen. Photo: Laura Blackmore

GLENDON Street Cafe manager Kylie Kersten opened up the shop at 5am this morning, like she does everyday, and started food prepping.

One minute later she heard her first customer pull up out the front of the shop, so she washed her hands, changed her gloves and went out the front to greet them.

"I saw him through the glass window and came out to serve," Mrs Kersten said.

"When I greeted him, he told me to 'get the f**k away from the counter'.

"His head was down, he was a dark male about my height and I am 177cm.

"He had a hat on and his head (and it) was down so it was hard to see his facial features," she said.

"The man was coming towards me and I was behind the counter so it made me feel very uncomfortable.

"I could feel the aggression coming from him."

Mrs Kersten said in that moment she froze as she didn't know his intentions.

"He had his left hand in his pocket and he reached up with his right hand to grab the tip jar," she said.

"I felt there was something in his left pocket.

"I stood there dumbfounded and then as he left the shop, I yelled 'oi' to try to startle him."

She said as the man turned to leave the shop, he ran into a delivery man.

"Tim, who delivers the newspapers, was coming through the sliding door," Mrs Kersten said.

"The man barged into him and Tim had no idea what was going on.

"I proceeded to walk out the door and try get his car details, but he didn't have number plates on the car."

 

 

South Burnett Touring Guide. Glendon Street Cafe.

Mrs Kersten and her staff have been left shaken by the ordeal.

After the cafe was forced by the federal government to only do takeaway orders as a result of the ongoing coronavirus crisis just yesterday, Mrs Kersten said she didn't expect people to start behaving like this so soon.

Mrs Kersten said she was furious at this man's actions because the tip jar money was used for community causes.

 

Glendon Street Cafe employees Kylie Kertsen and Bronte McNeil. Photo: Laura Blackmore

"It might have said 'staff retirement fund' on our jar but we don't usually keep it for overselves," she said.

"My mum (owner Dawn Wolski) will give them out to different charities at the end of the year, like the Cancer Council.

"With all that's going on right now with coronavirus, I thought this type of stuff might start happening, but I didn't expect it to be so soon.

"It could have been a lot worse and I'm just glad there was no weapon involved.

"My advice to other businesses would be to hide anything that's accessible and valueable, especially if you are opening up early and by yourself."

A spokeswoman from Queensland Police Service media said Kingaroy Police Station was called out to the business along Glendon St just after 5am.

She said investigations were still ongoing and no charges had been laid.

 

Report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.

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