Cops: Waffle House thief returns cash, gets arrested

A woman who wore a Waffle House uniform and posed as a manager while stealing cash later returned to the eatery to give the money back, Atlanta police said Thursday night.

But when she did, the 35-year-old was arrested, according to Officer Kim Jones.

Katie Marie McCrary, of Decatur, was charged with misdemeanor theft by taking and booked into the DeKalb County jail Wednesday morning shortly before 11 a.m., booking records show. About five hours earlier, McCrary allegedly walked into the Waffle House at 2914 Memorial Drive and pretended to be an area manager, Jones said.

Jamonte Robinson, the real manager of the restaurant, told police that just after 6 a.m., a woman dressed in a company uniform “entered the business and began acting as an area manager,” Jones said Wednesday.

The suspect inspected the restaurant and checked the restrooms, similar to what other managers would do, before allegedly helping herself to about $100 cash from the register, police said. A few minutes later, the woman left after getting into an SUV and employees called police.

Later Wednesday morning, McCrary returned to the same Waffle House and said she wanted to return the money, Jones said. This time, she was arrested.

Investigators do not believe McCrary is or was a Waffle House employee, Jones said Thursday night.