Video shows police officer taking cash from hot dog vendor's wallet
Footage showing a police officer issuing a ticket before removing cash from the wallet of a hot dog vendor reportedly operating without a permit has gone viral.
The vision was filmed by Martin Flores on Saturday afternoon on the Californian campus of UC Berkeley near a football game.
The UCPD bicycle officer can be heard arguing back and forth with Flores in the footage about the incident that’s caused widespread outrage.
The officer can be seen taking cash from inside wallet while the vendor, appearing confused, watches on.
The officer then is filmed folding the money into his hand.
“That’s how it works,” the officer can be heard saying.
“The not right!” Flores says in a bid to tell the officer off.
“The judge can decide whether or not it’s right,” the officer responds.
“He doesn’t have a permit.”
A Go Fund Me page has since been established by Flores in a bid to help the vendor, Juan, recover the money that was taken by the officer.
“This is the official go fund me account for justice4Juan the hotdog vendor at UC Berkeley,” the post begins.
“The funds raised will be utilized to cover legal and personal loses. In addition, funds in excess are to cover other vendors who have been robbed of their hard earned living through citations and removal of their carts.”
To date the funding effort has raised almost $50,000.
A petition has also been started to have the officer, “S. Aranas #76 removed”.
“This petition is being circulated because the community feels that this officer should be removed from the University of California Police Department,” the petition reads.
So far it’s gained 23,000 signatures.
According to Berkleyside UCPD spokeswoman Sgt. Sabrina Reich said the $60 was “seized as suspected proceeds of the violation and booked into evidence”.
Reich also added that three other vendors were also detained on suspicion of vending without license, however, were released with a warning.
