WESTMINSTER, Colo. — A suspected thief who wasn't invited to the party was caught on camera crashing a Westminster couple's wedding – walking away with thousands of dollars inside cards given to the couple as gifts.
Westminster Police said they're investigating the theft which happened Sunday at a venue on Wadsworth Boulevard.
The couple was exchanging wedding vows outside as the event venue's surveillance camera caught a man walking in the front door. He looked around the lobby and then headed straight for the table that held cards and gifts from family and friends.
The man is seen in the video wearing a reflective construction-type vest, over a long-sleeve black shirt, jeans and white tennis shoes. He walks in the front doors, looks around to make sure no one is watching then opens a box taking out a handful of cards and grabs a wrapped gift from the table and casually leaves through the front doors.
Police said the man left the venue on a motorcycle.
Mr. Armando & Mrs. Shayna Bonilla were high school sweethearts, dating for nine years before their big day on Aug. 6. They had 230 wedding guests, many who left cards with cash and gifts to celebrate the happy couple.
The Bonillas didn't even realize that the theft had occurred until the next day, as they sat in their house ready to open cards and gifts in front of family and friends.
"When everyone came over to our house we had confused guests who thought we lost their cards," the groom said. "We had a guest count of 230 people."
The couple put the pieces together as they spoke with family, and realized the man got away with over 20 cards that totaled in the thousands of dollars. The man also snagged a wrapped gift from the table that was from the groom's cousin and his fiancée.
"It was a thoughtful gift and they were eager for us to get it," said Armando.
As soon as the couple realized what happened, they called the venue and staff immediately found the footage.
"We got lucky, so many family members had questions and we were on and off with the police and the event center all day."
The couple said the thief wasn't able to ruin their special day.
"At the end of it all, we're grateful it didn't interfere with our day," Armando said. "The venue was more than beautiful, they were fully committed to give us the time of our lives that day. He never ruined anything until the day after when we found out about it midday."
Armando said the man fooled their family, friends and even the venue's staff who did stop to question the man, but he was able to convince them that he belonged there.
It was raining on their wedding day, so the ceremony was delayed.
"Everyone is speculating on why he was there so early, he knew when it was happening and waited out the rain," said Armando. "He was there for quite awhile, he knew a start and stop time, it was a 4 p.m. wedding on a Sunday. He scoped out the place in his vest, people thought he was a parking attendant or lot attendant and didn't think anything about him."
The couple is more upset with what the man stole from their family.
"He didn't steal from us, he stole from everyone in our family and disrespected them," said Armando. "Losing that money didn't affect us, it's my family that feels robbed."
Their wedding date is also their anniversary of meeting in high school. Now the couple is packing to leave for their honeymoon on an Alaskan cruise.
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