A Melbourne fried chicken restaurant is offering a full year of free meals as a reward after three thieves broke in and stole cash, liquor and — most distressingly for the owners — a donation jar set up to support a seriously ill staff member. The incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning at Bird Bang'n Chicken on Weston Street in East Brunswick.

How the Robbery Unfolded

Police allege two men initially broke into the restaurant around 2am, ransacking the premises and making off with several bottles of alcohol along with cash from a tip jar and a donation box. The pair fled, only to return roughly an hour and forty minutes later — this time accompanied by a third offender. During the second visit, the trio allegedly took a further 50 bottles of liquor from the business.

An investigation into the robberies remains ongoing, and authorities have urged anyone with relevant information to contact Crime Stoppers.

The Reward: Twelve Months of Free Chicken

Not content to rely solely on a police investigation, the restaurant's owners have launched their own appeal — and sweetened it considerably. In a post to the restaurant's social media page, management announced that anyone who helps identify the offenders and delivers that information to police will be rewarded with free chicken for an entire year.

"Help us get this person identified and into the hands of police and you're eating FREE CHICKEN FOR A YEAR," the post read. "12 months of Bird, on the house. Best payout you'll ever get for dobbing someone in."

Those with information were also encouraged to reach out directly through the restaurant's social media channels to claim the reward. It's a bold community incentive — not unlike the significant rewards offered in other Australian cases where authorities and businesses have sought the public's help to crack unsolved matters.

The Donation Jar: 'As Low as They Come'

While losing liquor stock and tip money was frustrating, the owners made clear the theft of the employee donation jar hit hardest. The jar had been collecting funds for a staff member currently facing a serious health battle.

"We're raising money for our staff member who is facing a serious health battle — that's as low as they come," the social media post stated.

The owners did not hold back in expressing their anger at the broader situation, describing the break-in as "honestly devastating" and calling the perpetrators "scumbags" for targeting a business working hard to support its team during already difficult times.

"It's rough out there for everyone right now, so choosing to make our team's week worse when everyone's already stretched thin isn't just illegal, it's just being a scumbag," they wrote.

About Bird Bang'n Chicken

Bird Bang'n Chicken opened in 2021 and has since built a strong reputation in Melbourne's competitive food scene, having been recognised as the best spot for juicy and delicious fried chicken in Melbourne by a major city guide. The restaurant's owners said the team works hard every day to deliver quality food to the city, making the brazen theft all the more painful. For those aware of similar incidents involving restaurants facing public controversy or hardship, the owners' frustration will resonate.

Anyone with information about the East Brunswick robbery is urged to contact Crime Stoppers or reach out to the restaurant directly via its social media page.