A crime between customers is captured at the Royal Kitchen in Chinatown.

Owners had seen many crimes committed outside their restaurant over the decades, so they installed surveillance video cameras several years ago.

Those cameras were rolling when a rip-off artist targeted an elderly customer inside the shop.

The Royal Kitchen is a popular place for people to grab a bite to eat, but last Friday a customer grabbed more than just food.

"Someone lifted a woman's handbag from the handlebars of the woman's wheelchair," said Royal Kitchen manager Liana Benn.

After the elderly woman and her daughter discovered the purse was missing, Benn checked the restaurant's security video. There she saw the whole shocking theft right before her eyes.

"I was surprised it happened in broad daylight, with four of our staff workers across the counter looking. They had no idea it had happened," said Benn.

After sifting through a lot of surveillance video, Benn also discovered the suspected thief had been around quite a while.

"He had already been lurking around the parking lot, looking in my car and others," said Benn.

In fact, after the elderly woman and her daughter pulled into the parking lot and went inside, the man went to their car.  On the video, he appeared to try to push the window open but was unsuccessful.