Brazen wedding crasher caught on camera stealing thousands of dollars in gifts from OC couple

GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- It was a wedding day disaster as security cameras captured a heartless wedding crasher stealing tens of thousands of dollars meant to help a new couple start their life together.

On Saturday, George and Nadeen Farahat were celebrating the best day of their life. The Orange County couple got married and were partying well into the night at the Renaissance Banquet Hall in Glendale.

Little did they know, there was an uninvited guest scoping the place out. A wedding crasher who was caught on security cameras ran off with their gift box full of tens of thousands of dollars in money and gifts, bringing to party to a halt.

"As soon as we found out what happened, you know, the music shut down, everything immediately stopped," the bride, Nadeen, told Eyewitness News. "I ended up sitting on the dance floor sobbing with my friends and cousins around me."

The thief was there for at least 90 minutes -- showing up around 11 p.m., walking around, passing family members of the bride and groom, going to the bathroom, and at one point, even ordering a drink at the bar.

"It's very brave. I think he even tipped the bartender," the groom, George, said.

"He's watching the dance floor. He's watching our family. It's so scary to look back and see that there was a stranger at such a private event, and such an intimate event. It's such a violation," Nadeen said.

The man ran the box down a back hallway leading to an alleyway, where a getaway vehicle was waiting.

After talking with their nearly 300 guests, the couple estimates that the thief made off with between $80,000 and $100,000.

Glendale police are now investigating, and the couple is offering a $5,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest.

In the meantime, they're trying to keep some perspective despite the inauspicious start to their marriage.

"I think the most important thing is that everyone is safe. We try to focus on the positives of that day. We had a wonderful ceremony at our church. We had a really fun party with our family and friends, and we were able to celebrate up until the incident," George said.

"Someone said that, 'When it rains on your wedding day, it usually means good things are to come,' so when someone steals money, and your box, and everything on your wedding day, we'll follow that same trend. We're just really thankful," Nadeen said.

The couple said they are not looking for donations or a GoFundMe account to make up for the lost money. Instead, they just want the man caught, and they want other couples to know the dangers of having so much cash and other gifts on hand at a wedding.

It was not immediately clear if police know who the suspect is. Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact Glendale police.