Soda stealer caught on camera

BRIGHAM CITY, UTAH (ABC 4 News) - Police are searching for a thief who ripped off bunch of soda pop and the vending machine it was in. It happened three weeks ago in Brigham City and it was caught on tape.

Jerry Shepherd tells ABC 4 News that his vending machine was stolen May 28th from right in front of K&H Fitness. "By stealing the machine they probably got fifty dollars out of it." But it cost Shepherd who owns Shep's Good Dog Vending about three thousand dollars.

Shepherd owns the machine and 22 others like it. Now - in addition to putting "in" snacks and sodas in his machines - he is putting up photos of the thief on every machine. The picture was made from surveillance video of the heist.

Shepherd is serious about finding the men responsible for the heist. "If you steal from me I am going to press charges." So are those who know him, including Heidi Thompson with H&K Fitness. "I would really like the guy who did that to go to jail - I really would."

Police are on the case, but they say because they couldn't see the license plate number on the van they need help. Lt. Michael Nelsen with the Brigham City Police Department says "The best thing that can happen is to have somebody to come forth and identify the individual.":

Shepherd's insurance doesn't cover the machines when stolen. "Now I have a three thousand dollar machine that I am still making payments on." Which is tough because the vending business is something he got into recently by putting in every dollar he had into starting it after losing his job. "I wanted to do something other than get unemployment so, I started my own business and I'm going to Weber State to get my IT degree."

Lt. Nelsen says whoever stole the machine will face felony charges. He asks anyone who may recognize the man in the photo or the van in the video to contact police.