Police in Portland, Oregon, are looking for a guy who stole from a liquor store while the cashier was having a heart attack and fled without rescuing the victim.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, an employee at Bins & Barrels experienced a medical issue at 6:15 p.m. on October 25. While this was going on, the suspect went behind the counter and took money from an employee and the store office before departing.
“This does not appear to be connected to any larger string of crimes, more of a crime of opportunity,” Mike Benner, public information officer, told Law&Crime.
Coworkers recognized the individual as Jason Hay, who is 53 years old. He was transferred to the hospital, where he died approximately a week later.
Hay has been working in the business for nearly a year.
“He made an effort to know every single person’s name who walked through that door,” a store employee said during a vigil on Monday, according to local Fox affiliate KPTV.
Bins & Barrels manager Michelle Maurer told local NBC station KGW that the suspect took $800 while acting as a good Samaritan attempting to assist Hay.
“During this time, several good Samaritans came in and attempted to help. Unfortunately, one man came in and pretended to be attempting to help, including taking Jason’s pulse, when it was clear he was patting Jason down to find his wallet,” Maurer explained.
Surveillance video reportedly captured the man walking into the back office while others frantically tried to save Hay’s life.
“He discovered that our change safe was open, and grabbed the bank bags and shoved them down the front of his pants,” Maurer instructed KGW.
Hay leaves behind a wife and a 15-year-old kid, having lived the majority of his life in Portland. As the primary provider for his family, he has set up a GoFundMe account to raise finances.
“He was a light in this community, and I hope everyone pays it forward like he would every day,” his sister Jessica Jones said at the vigil, according to KPTV.
Jones suspected Hay knew the man who stole from him.
“That’s the heartbreaking part: it was someone he knew. “Someone he trusted,” she explained.
