Major update in ‘dine & dash’ saga as two are arrested after ‘stealing £1,000 worth of food & drinks from restaurants’
COPS have arrested two people over an alleged “dine and dash” eating spree after seven restaurants were hit for meals worth more than £1,000.
A 41-year-old man and 39-year-old woman are being quizzed by detectives after restaurants posted appeals to identify the family ordering slap-up meals before fleeing.
Eateries across a 30-mile radius in South Wales were struck after up to eight family members tucked into large meals.
The pair were reported to have ordered double drinks or deserts before failing to foot the bills.
Restaurants have since gone public with their warning about the family with cops believed to have been alerted by at least seven.
The family could face up to two years prison for theft from the series of rogue restaurant eat-outs so far over the last eight months.
It is led by a middle-aged couple who even took a toddler in a baby chair on the latest runner.
South Wales Police said: “Two people have been arrested following reports of several incidents of non-payment of restaurant bills and shoplifting.
“A 41-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, both from Sandfields, Port Talbot, have been arrested for fraud (obtaining services dishonestly) and theft offences.
“They are currently in police custody at Swansea Central police station.
“Our investigation is ongoing.”
The culprits are believed to be driving a blue Ford transit van before fleeing.
The latest was at newly-opened restaurant Bella Ciao in Swansea with a £329 bill – and they have done the same at other restaurants in South Wales.
Others the Yard in Cowbridge, River House in Swansea, The Somerset Arms in Port Talbot, The Longbow Beefeater in Pontyclun, and La Casone in Skewen have gone public with appeals for restaurants to beware.
The Somerset Arms in Port Talbot and The Longbow Beefeater in Pontyclun have also been named as victims.
Bella Ciao claims that a woman who was part of the group had tried to pay with a savings account card which got declined twice.
They say she said her son would wait inside while she went out to get her other card – but she did not return and her son did a “runner.”
Manager Tyrone Reese of the family-run business said they reported it to the police and added: “They were ordering the most expensive things on the menu, like T-bone steaks and the like.”
The family posted the dine and dash video onto Bella Ciao’s social media pages which went viral and received over 12 million views.
After posting the clip, other restaurants have also come forward to say they believe the couple has targeted them.
La Casona in Skewen, over six miles from Swansea, is one of the many restaurants that claim the group also targeted them in February and left without paying a bill that was almost £300.
The Mediterranean restaurant said: “After the meal, four people have already left our restaurant. One lady stayed with a young boy to ‘pay’. The woman tried to pay with a card which was declined.
“She said she would get another card from the car. We asked the boy to stay and wait for her in the restaurant.
“She left, and 10 seconds after, the boy started to run to the car. We called the police as soon as it happened.
“The police responded that this was not an emergency and that we could only report them, which we did.”
The Yard in Cowbridge says that a similar incident also happened there in March with a bill for £151 going unpaid.
Owner Paul Langford claimed: “We reported it to the police. [A woman] was pleasant throughout the meal. They asked for steak too. We do not do steak and thank goodness!
“When it came to pay the family left save for [the woman]. She tried using the bank card which was declined twice then said she was going to a cash machine a few doors down then ran away.
“We have been open since 2017 and this is the first and only time that it happened to us. We were just in shock and we have heard from around seven other restaurants in south Wales of a similar thing happening.”
In November, Chilli Too, an Indian restaurant in Clydach, also accused the group of skipping out on their bill.
A post on their Facebook page with CCTV pictures said: “Does anyone recognise this family. Made off without paying over £150 worth of food.
“It’s difficult enough running a business these days without disgusting behaviour like this taking place . Anyone has any details please drop us a private message.”
Last summer, the River House Lounge & Restaurant in Swansea also posted CCTV images of the same family members onto its social media page after they had run up a “hefty bill” and did the same dine and dash act.
In total of the three restaurants targeted this year, the group have skipped out on bills worth nearly £800 – along with the £150 Indian meal bill and large bill from last year.
Leaving a restaurant without paying is a crime and carries a prison sentence of up to two years.