A mystery man dressed in black is sought in the theft of a wedding gift box that contained $60,000 during a couple’s celebration with friends and family at a Glendale banquet hall.
The wedding celebration theft was reported just before 1 a.m. Sunday at Renaissance Banquet Hall on South Central Avenue. Witnesses told officers that a man grabbed the gift box, which contained cash and checks from wedding guests, and left the building.
Video from inside the wedding venue showed guests dancing on a nearby dance floor as the man appeared to fold and unfold a servers’ tray stand against a wall. Video showed the man pick up the gift box with both hands from a platform next to the wedding party table at the front of the room and bolt for the exit.
“It’s such a vulnerable moment for us,” said bride Nadeem Farahat. “There’s someone in this hall, watching our guests, watching us, taking advantage of the situation. When he saw his opportunity, he went for it and darted out the back.”
Police said the man took his time, waiting for about an hour before making his move.
Video showed the same man entering and exiting a restroom, appearing to order drinks at a bar and looking at his phone in a lobby area.
Security camera video from an alley showed the bald man dressed in black get into the passenger seat of a newer-model Mercedes Benz SUV that left the area.