Thief allegedly steals cancer research money from bakery

A Queensland bakery owner has been left gutted after a woman allegedly stole a cancer research donation box from his store.

The woman, 53, allegedly took off with the box from Ken Brown’s bakery in Cleveland, but some members of the public helped Mr Brown make a citizen’s arrest.

The box is shaped like a duck – the symbol of cancer research for the Princess Alexandria Hospital.

Mr Brown, 62, said he and his wife keep the box in the store because staff at the hospital helped their daughter.

“She’s got health problems,” he said.

“She's got a pacemaker and defibrillator and she's 34 and she's had to go through a hell of a lot.”

It’s alleged the woman stole the box from the store while the owners were out the back.

Two hours later, while cleaning outside, Mr Brown alleges the woman came back holding the duck.

He said it made him “so angry” he chased her down.

Mr Brown yelled out for help as he chased her with a spray bottle and people nearby stepped in.

“We had a bit of a scuffle,” Mr Brown said.

“She produced scissors and she spat on one of my helpers.”

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The group herded around the 53-year-old until police arrived but the money inside the duck was gone.

Now Mr Brown wants the woman to be forced to visit the hospital and apologise to cancer patients for stealing from them and to make her understand who is impacted by the heartless crime.

“There are kids, who are two and three years old who have no hair,” he said.

“I feel it's the lowest thing you can do to steal off charity.”