Johanna McCoy figured she was being cautious when she took money from a donation jar at The Bomber Restaurant in Ypsilanti, put it in an envelope and then in a cabinet under the cash register for safekeeping.

Last week, the restaurant owner learned her efforts to keep the money safe until she could get it to the Humane Society of Huron Valley weren’t quite enough.

As McCoy dug around in a cabinet underneath a cash register, she discovered the envelope with at least $300 in donations was missing.

McCoy said she regularly emptied the jar as it filled with coins, and then exchanged the coins for dollar bills to place in a more secure location.

“We’ve never had a problem with that,” she said, noting the restaurant has had an ongoing collection for the shelter for several years. “But we’ve been getting new carpet and new tile. A lot of people have been in and out after hours.”

Ypsilanti Police Sgt. Troy Fulton said officers took a report on the incident and are continuing to investigate. No suspects have been named at this time.

Fulton said the cash was placed in the envelope around May 31, and because it wasn’t found missing until this week, the theft could have happened any day over a month's time.

Though McCoy hopes the money will be recovered, she said she's learned her lesson and will be even more careful with the money in the future. This week, she wrote an out-of-pocket check for the full $300 so that those who donated won’t miss out on the chance to support charity, she said.