Alleged thief of cookie money caught

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EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J., Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Police in New Jersey say they arrested a man suspected of stealing money from two young girls selling Girl Scout cookies.

Police identified Jeffrey Teal Jr. from photographs taken by the girls' mother the day of the incident and Teal later allegedly admitted to taking the money, The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger reported Sunday.

Alyssa Sapia, 8, and her 12-year-old sister Jessica were selling cookies outside a Walgreens store in East Brunswick a few weeks ago and noticed the man hanging around.

The suspect allegedly waited until the girls were alone before walking up to them and taking their moneybox. "Sorry, I have to do this," he allegedly told them.

The suspect escaped on foot with the moneybox, but was arrested a few days later by police who used a photograph taken by Maria Sapia, the girls' mother, to identify him.

Sympathetic onlookers reportedly gave the girls enough money to cover the amount stolen.