ST. ALBANS, W.Va. -- A St. Albans man allegedly caught stealing money from a store safe on Tuesday told store staff he was only kidding and asked them not to call the police.

Capt. James Agee of the St. Albans Police Department said staff at the Dollar General Store in the 2500 block of Kanawha Terrace caught a man in their office safe at about 5:45 p.m. Agee said the man was allegedly taking cash out of a bank bag.

Agee said the suspect told them he was only "playing a joke" and asked them not to call the police. He then left, but not before employees took more than $1,000 in cash from his hands.

A review of surveillance tape pointed police to Daniel R. Holt, 33, of St. Albans. Holt was arrested a short time later at his home and charged with grand larceny, Agee said.

Holt was in the South Central Regional Jail on Tuesday with bail set at $5,000.