Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

This is the moment when a giant pine tree comes crashing down on a cafe, scattering staff and customers as they flee for their lives.

But amid the chaos, the furious owner discovered that someone had taken advantage of the commotion to steal his takings and the staff tip jar.

Terrifying security footage shows the immense tree as it crashes through the cafe roof, sending glass and debris flying, in Nazilli, Aydin province, Turkey.

It is understood that the 100-year-old tree – reported on 4th June – had been uprooted by a massive thunderstorm.

Miraculously, nobody was injured and staff evacuated their customers to safety.

But one customer apparently decided to help themselves to the till contents and the tip jar, getting away with TRY 5,000 (GBP 240).

Staff believe one of their customers – whose life they had probably saved – helped themselves to the cash on their way out.

Police were last reported to be studying the CCTV images to see if they could identify the crook.