Alaska Father Pleads for Return of Abducted Teen Barista

(NewsCore) - An Alaska father was pleading for the return of his 18-year-old daughter, who was abducted from the coffee shop where she works, announcing that he was increasing the reward on offer to $41,000.

Samantha Koenig was taken Wednesday evening from Common Grounds Espresso in Anchorage by an armed man.

The abduction was captured on surveillance video, but police have not released the footage, claiming that it will not help solve the case.

"There's nothing in there that will help us identify the perpetrator," police spokesman Dave Parker told the Anchorage Daily News. "We've already told people it's a male wearing a hoodie, and that's about all we can tell."

Koenig's family initially offered a reward of more than $12,500 for her return. The sum was later raised to $41,000, with the additional money coming from donations, the newspaper reported.

Speaking Saturday at Common Grounds, her father, James Koenig, offered her kidnappers "anything in this world" for her return.

"I want to ask for her captors that they will please send my daughter home," he said. "Call me anonymously. You don't have to go through the police. I will meet you. I will give you whatever you want."

James Koenig urged his community to "go door-to-door, every neighborhood" and report "anything suspicious, no matter how small you think it is."

He believes his daughter likely knew her kidnapper, according to the Anchorage Daily News, but said he could not "give out any names."

Court records show the 18 year old filed for a protective order against a man in November but did not attend court, so the order was not issued.

Common Grounds' owner said the kidnapper took all of the cash in the shop when he took Samantha Koenig on Wednesday.

No suspects were identified, and no arrests have been made in the case.

Police admitted they lost valuable time early in the investigation and that by the time they suspected the missing teen had been abducted, tracks and scents were covered with snow.

"This is one of those things where the young lady disappeared, and we have no indication about where she went," Parker said.

Read more: The Anchorage Daily News