An investigation is underway after a man wearing a mask and winter hat stole a donation box from a restaurant in Bridgeview last week.
Surveillance footage shows the man pacing around Holy Buckets Halal Chicken and Pizza on Thursday before grabbing a jar believed to have $2,500 inside.
The donations were to go towards the Pious Project and their efforts to help orphans in Gaza.
“It’s honestly disgusting," Holy Buckets co-owner Luaey Issa told NBC Chicago. "If it was anything else, maybe I wouldn’t be as upset. But because it was for orphans, it kind of struck a nerve.”
Issa said the man waited until the dinner rush was over before making a move.
"He came in, sat down [and] was wearing a mask," Issa said. "We asked him 'hey can we help?' And he kept telling us 'I’m just waiting for somebody, waiting for friends.'”
When the cashier went to clean somewhere else, the man got up, grabbed the jar and left.
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However, it was a call that came in two hours prior that prompted questions.
"We actually got a call around 5:27 p.m. from a gas station about 45 miles away from here," Issa said. "[They said] 'hey, are you guys still collecting money for orphans in Gaza?' I said 'yes, we are.' They said 'well how much money do you guys have?' I said 'it’s about halfway full, why do you ask?' He said 'well I want to come in and match the donation amount.'”
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Caller ID from the store shows the call came from a BP Gas station in Elburn, nearly 50 miles away from Holy Buckets.
The gas station manager said a man asked to use their phone earlier that night. The exchange was caught on the gas station's camera just before 5:30 p.m.
The gas station employee confirmed the details to NBC 5 over the phone Tuesday.
Issa called the number back after the theft and did not receive a response.
Police have not confirmed if the man at the gas station is the same person that stole the donation money. There is currently no further information available.
