Chelsea Restaurant Employees Help Apprehend Tip Jar Thief

BOSTON, July 18, 2022 — Employees of the Brown Jug, a well-known Chelsea restaurant, helped police apprehend an East Boston man Saturday after he stole money from their tip jar and brandished a knife when confronted by the manager, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

AMILTON CARDOSO, 22, of Trenton St. was arraigned in Chelsea District Court today for armed and masked robbery and assault by means of a dangerous weapon.  Judge William Farrell set bail at $1,500 and ordered Cardoso to stay away from the Brown Jug.  At the request of Assistant District Attorney Jared Hirsch, Farrell revoked Cardoso’s bail on a pending gun case, which means Cardoso will remain in custody.

On Saturday afternoon Chelsea police were flagged down by a group of people outside of the CVS on Revere Beach Parkway.  The group told police that an individual wearing a mask had robbed the Brown Jug. Police saw several people, who later turned out to be Brown Jug employees, chasing after a man matching the description.  Police apprehended the man, Cardoso, and the employees identified him as the person who stole from the tip jar, flashed a knife when confronted by the manager and pulled down his mask before fleeing the restaurant.

Police recovered $16.55 and a folding knife from Cardoso.

“These are hardworking people who simply want to go to work, provide good food and good service to their customers, and take whatever tips they make to help them pay their bills and enjoy their lives.  It’s really a deplorable act to take that away from them,” Hayden said. 

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications