Man Forgets Caricature Sketch After Stealing Artist's Cash: Cops

RIVERSIDE, CA — Perhaps the takeaway here is don't leave behind your caricature sketch if planning to steal the artist's money.

Police were called earlier this month to the Festival of Lights in Riverside after a caricature artist was robbed of about $500 by a man, who sat for his portrait then made off with the artist's cash stash, according to the Riverside Police Department.

The theft victim was working shortly before midnight Dec. 5 at the downtown event when a man asked and posed for a caricature drawing of himself, then, once the sketch was completed, allegedly snatched the artist's money bag that contained about $500 in cash and ran off, the department said.

The suspect, however, left behind his portrait, which is now being used by the agency, in hopes that someone can identify the individual, despite the fact the image possesses the typical exaggerated features of a caricature.

The man was described as black and of average build, in his early 20s, about 5-foot, 1-inch tall with black hair and mustache, and was wearing a blue and red jacket, white undershirt, black pants and a red hat.

Anyone with information on the suspect’s identity is asked to contact Detective Jeff Putnam at (951) 826-2054 or jputnam@riversideca.gov.

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