A 32-year-old man was behind bars Thursday on suspicion of stealing tip jars from several Chula Vista businesses over the past few weeks.
During one of the thefts, around 3:50 p.m. on Feb. 18, employees at Novo Brazil Brewery on Birch Road noticed a man attempting to steal their tip jar, Chula Vista police Lt. Miriam Foxx said.
Witnesses described seeing the alleged thief, later identified as Toree Dwaynn Simpson of San Diego, enter the business, grab the tip jar and forcefully push past employees on his way out, Foxx said.
Employees caught up to Simpson and held him until Otay Ranch Mall security staff arrived to help, the lieutenant said. Officers responded to the scene and found security staff detaining Simpson, who was then arrested on suspicion of robbery and booked into San Diego Central Jail.
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Detectives were investigating whether Simpson was responsible for more than a dozen similar thefts in Chula Vista over the past few weeks, Foxx said.
Simpson was being held on $100,000 bail pending arraignment, according to jail records.
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