On Sunday, July 7, a Bozeman police officer was dispatched to the IHOP restaurant on N. 19th Avenue in response to an apparent theft.

Upon arriving at the scene, the restaurant manager told the officer that an employee had cleaned out the safe overnight.

The suspect was not at the restaurant when the officer arrived.

The manager stated that she discovered money missing out of the safe in the office and after reviewing video surveillance footage, she told the officer who she thought was responsible for the alleged theft.

The IHOP manager told police that just after midnight the employee entered the office, turned out the lights and removed nearly $1,800 in cash from the safe.

After speaking with people at the scene, the officer learned that the suspect had previously served as an assistant manager at the restaurant and that is how he knew the code.

The manager told police that the suspect had just been released from the Gallatin County Detention Center the day before and was working his first shift when the money was stolen.

Bozeman police officers eventually located the suspect within the city limits and transported him the the detention center.

Once he was in custody, the suspect reportedly told police that he was working his shift at IHOP while under the influence of drugs. The suspect also reportedly told police that he didn't have the money because he had given it to someone else to bury. The suspect apparently refused to tell police where the money was buried.

The suspect was charged with theft and held on no bond.

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