Riverside police are looking for a man who allegedly posed for a caricature portrait and then stole hundreds of dollars from the artist.

On Dec. 5 at the Festival of Lights event in downtown Riverside, the victim -- who has been drawing caricatures for more than 26 years -- was approached by a man who asked the artist to draw a portrait of himself.

He sat for several minutes while the artist drew his likeness. After the drawing was finished, the man grabbed the artist's money bag containing about $500 cash and ran away, according to the Riverside Police Department. He left the caricature portrait behind.

"How can someone go and take someone's hardworking money?" customer Elizabeth Arangure said.

The artist, who did not want to be identified, said he would rather have his art do the talking. And for the first time in six years, his work may help solve a crime.

The caricature contains exaggerated characteristics and features of the suspected thief. He was described as a black man in his early 20s, about 5'1" tall with an average build, and black hair and a mustache. He was last seen wearing a blue and red jacket, white undershirt, black pants and a red hat, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jeff Putnam at 951-826-2054 or jputnam@riversideca.gov.