It is never a good idea to NOT tip your server or bartender. Just ask one sorry (and dumb) criminal in Key West.
New Year's Eve was hopping at Irish Kevin's, one of the most popular bars on Duval Street. The bartender, Cameron Briody, was busy keeping everyone's glasses filled. But not too busy to be unaware when one of his customers stiffed him three times when ordering drinks. When your livelihood depends on tips, you tend to remember these things.
On New Year's Day, Cameron and the rest of the Conch Republic awoke to learn that someone had vandalized their beloved Southernmost Point buoy by torching a discarded Christmas tree next to it.
Checking the Southernmost Point webcam images, Cameron recognized the non-tipper from the evening before. He called his manager, Daylin Starks with the information.
Daylin went through the credit card receipts from the night before, matching the timestamp (on the receipts with no tip) to camera footage showing both scofflaws at the bar, confirming that the person on the buoy webcam was indeed the same non-tipper from the bar.
Daylin contacted the police and when the police contacted the non-tipper on New Year's Day, he admitted to the colossal mistake. According to him, he and his buddy never intended to damage the buoy but their rash impulsiveness was a huge case of not thinking, aided by too much partying. Both men were charged with felony counts of criminal mischief.
While this is a great example of police and citizens working together, it is also a testament to the power of data contained and shared through the use of credit cards. The receipt data, matched with the bar's surveillance cameras provided the hard evidence needed to verify the identities of the criminals and link them with the crime they committed.
Restoring the charred buoy, which included sanding it down and repainting the entire 20-ton landmark, cost $5,379, police reported after speaking with the city’s community services director. Repairs to the buoy were completed last week.
Learn more about the power of credit card data and how it can help your business grow by visiting SalesSensePayments.com, or call Mike Krause at (305) 723-1234.