WAUSAU, Wis. -- Operators of a Wausau restaurant say they're determined to compensate customers who had part of their gift card money pocketed by an ex-employee.

The owner of 2510 Restaurant estimates that thousands of customers over the past eight years were victimized.

When they would go to pay their bills, the gift cards would have little value and the restaurant lost profits.

Police investigated and a former employee pleaded no contest last month to two charges of theft in a business setting. She was sentenced to three months in jail and ordered to pay $40,000 restitution.

Customers who may have been among the victims can check the balance of their gift cards at the restaurant, and those who lost money will be compensated.