PORTLAND, OREGON — A tight-knit Portland community is grieving after a beloved liquor store clerk suffered a fatal heart attack while a man pretending to help him instead stole $800 from the store. The victim, 53-year-old Jason Hay, collapsed at work and later died in the hospital, leaving behind a devastated family, coworkers, and customers who say he “made an effort to know every single person’s name.”
Clerk Suffers Heart Attack as Thief Pretends to Be a Good Samaritan
The incident happened around 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 25 at Bins & Barrels, a neighborhood liquor store where Hay had worked for the past year. According to the Portland Police Bureau, Hay collapsed behind the counter during a medical emergency.
As customers rushed in to help, one man entered the store and acted as if he was checking Hay’s pulse — but video shows he was actually searching Hay’s pockets and reaching for his wallet.
Bins & Barrels manager Michelle Maurer said the moment was as cruel as it was calculated…