FRUITPORT TOWNSHIP, MI – A "selfie" found on an iPad allegedly stolen from Buffalo Wild Wings on July 4 in Muskegon led authorities to a 23-year-old suspect who had previously worked at the establishment.

Fruitport Township Police Detective Lt. Bruce Morningstar said a 23-year-old man has been identified as the suspect in connection to the stolen iPad that had been left behind at the Buffalo Wild Wings on Harvey Street near The Lakes Mall.

The suspect was a server there at the time, but no longer works there, Morningstar said.

The incident occurred on July 4 when the victim dining there with her family had left the device behind. The parents of the victim had called the establishment shortly after dining to see if the device was there, Morningstar said, but they were told it wasn't there.

The family then went to a nearby Apple store to replace the lost iPad with a new device. Once at the store, the family was told that an Apple employee could download all the photos and other information from the stolen iPad onto the new one, Morningstar said.

When the process of transferring data was complete, a photograph of the server that he apparently took of himself – otherwise known as a "selfie" – appeared. The photo had been taken after the family had left the restaurant, Morningstar said.

It was then that authorities were contacted and an investigation began, Morningstar said. The former server was identified as the suspect, he said.

A warrant for the former server's arrest has not yet been issued. The police report will soon be turned over to the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office for review. The suspect faces potential larceny-related charges, Morningstar said.

Morningstar said the management at Buffalo Wild Wings was "extremely cooperative" throughout the investigation.

"They have established procedures in place for when people misplace or leave behind items and that procedure was not followed by this individual," Morningstar said.

"Unfortunately one individual took advantage of that. It should not reflect the business itself."

Morningstar said the suspect did not have a prior criminal record.

This is the second time in about a year that an employee from the Harvey Street Buffalo Wild Wings location has been in hot water.

In July of 2013, a former Buffalo Wild Wings waitress was charged with fraud for padding the tip amount on electronic receipts.

Heather Lynn Peters covers police and fire, and writes a statewide food column, The Spunky Kitchen, for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at hpeters@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter @HLPNEWS.