A heist with a joyful ending at Star Confectionery

On Monday night, Star Confectionery, a Riverhead institution, was robbed for the first time in its history — $10,000 was stolen. Three days later, third-generation owner Anthony Meras had all his money back — before the crime has even been solved.

When Mr. Meras opened up on Tuesday morning, he saw that somebody had pried open the basement door to gain entry, and then stole the money from his safe.

“It was [$3,000 in] sales tax money that you pay each quarter,” he said on Friday morning from behind the counter at Star’s. “And then there was [$7,000] that was going to the bank for deposit for the week to pay the bills.”

Mr. Meras also lost a prized stack of $2 bills, which he collects — a habit the beloved diner owner learned from his mother.

On Wednesday night, Michelle Papa, a veteran waitress at the Main St. diner, launched a GoFundMe page for Mr. Meras and his family, and the following morning — after more than 130 individual donations, he had to call her to stop seeking donations.

“One of the girls that works for us, she’s been here since she was 14. She’s 40 now. And she set up the GoFundMe, and within 12 hours, it reached the goal of the money that was stolen from the safe.” By the time they turned off the fundraising, $10,850 had been raised.

He said that one customer’s $5 donation brought him to tears.

The outpouring of support didn’t end there.

“Even though we shut it off, people are still coming into the restaurant, saying ‘let me give you some money,’ ‘I want to give you some money.’

“It was a blessing and a curse: a curse that we had it stolen, but a blessing — that outpouring of love from the whole community.”

He said the community response was a pleasant surprise.

“My family has been here for 140 years, so I sometimes take it for granted our importance to the community.”

Referring to the 1946 holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” he said the flood of support from his customers and neighbors reminded him how lucky he is.

“It’s amazing. Truly amazing. I’m George Bailey,” he said, before pausing.

“But I’m also Uncle Billy because I lost all the money!”

He broke into a grin and began to laugh.