A teenage prankster who stole an “Autism Awareness” teddy bear early this week has returned it after public outrage.

The teen stole the bear from the Allwood Diner in Clifton earlier this week. The theft was caught on surveillance camera. Management posted the video on their Facebook page in an attempt to get the bear back and help identify the teen.

The story went viral and many people came by the diner to donate new teddy bears. That’s when the teen came back to return the item he stole.

"When I saw his face walk in, my face dropped. This guy is out of his mind,” says Allwood Diner owner Gus Logothetis.

The teen told Logothetis that he stole the bear because he was trying to become “Instagram famous.”

"We thought it was a joke.  We actually waited maybe five, 10 minutes.  Maybe the guy will bring him back.  Didn't happen,” Logothetis says.

But Logothetis says he had decided not to press charges against the teen. He say that he set out to do some public shaming and succeeded. But what he did not expect is the outpour of support from the community. People donated more bears and even money for the organization Autism Speaks.

"It was such not a cool thing to do.  Luckily, we got it back and everybody stepped up and people keep coming in and it's really getting the word out that this is really an important cause and we have a family [of  bears] now,” says Terry Heman with Daytime Stars and Strikes for Autism.

The diner’s Facebook page has a fundraiser set up for Autism Speaks. Logothetis says that since the theft, there has been a rise in donations.