A restaurant has accused a ‘dine and dash’ couple of walking out of a restaurant ‘without paying’ – after posting photos of their £120 slap-up meal on social media.
The man and woman spent almost an hour indulging in gourmet burgers, halloumi fries, sweet potato fries and Biscoff cheesecake with six espresso martinis, before posting images of the food and drink on Facebook.
After they had chowed down, the loved-up couple went outside ‘for a cigarette’ only to allegedly do a runner.
The incident is said to have happened at around 9pm on Monday, August 5 at Lazy Fox – a burger restaurant in the posh area of Westbourne in Bournemouth, Dorset.
The man and woman were captured on CCTV indulging in gourmet burgers, halloumi and sweet potato fries and Biscoff cheesecake washed down with six espresso martinis
The incident happened at Lazy Fox (pictured) – a burger restaurant in Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset
Dorset Police confirmed that they received a report on Monday regarding customers leaving the restaurant ‘without paying for their food’.
A waitress who served the couple at the Lazy Fox on Monday evening said: ‘She was a bit intoxicated and they were both a bit energetic. We were keeping a close eye on them especially when it came to serving them drinks.
‘They ordered cocktails and food and took photos of it after it arrived. After they finished she said she wanted a dessert and ordered the cheesecake.
‘The woman then stepped outside for a cigarette and the man followed her out and they never came back.
‘We were rather busy at the time but we trusted that they weren’t going to do that.’
Since bosses at Lazy Fox shared the incriminating footage with other local restaurants, owners have come forward claiming to recognise the man and suggesting he had done the same to them.
Last summer aman, who appears aged in his 40s, and a woman were said to have enjoyed £170 worth of food and drink at the Urban Garden restaurant in Bournemouth before leaving.
A spokesman for Urban Garden restaurant said he had warned other eateries in the area about the man after being stung by him in May 2023.
He said: ‘He came in and kept a low-profile. Afterwards I realised that he just wanted to blend in and not draw attention to himself.
‘We have spoken with other bar staff in the area and warned them about this guy.’
He is also believed to have struck at the Westbourne Grill House.
The man wore a black shirt and shorts with a matching black cap while the blonde woman wore a white top under a white dress and had ‘heavy red lipstick’, according to the waitress
The loved-up pair were seen kissing while finishing their meal at the Lazy Fox in Dorset
The couple enjoyed their £120 meal so much that the man posted images of the food and drink on Facebook. The caption read: ‘Last night in Westbourne with my friend in Westbourne!’
The pair ordered gourmet burgers, halloumi fries, sweet potato fries, a Biscoff cheesecake and six espresso martinis before fleeing the restaurant without paying
Mauricio Spinola, the co-owner of the Lazy Fox, added: ‘It was probably about ten minutes after they went outside we realised they had gone. I couldn’t just head out and look for him, I still had a bar to run.
‘It’s a big hit for a small business like ours, we just can’t afford to lose over £100 in the current climate.
‘We just want to get that money back and ban him from coming in again. We know the police aren’t going to do anything.
‘We’re not really sure what we can do to prevent this sort if thing from happening in the future.
‘We can’t ask people to give us their phone or wallet when they go out for a cigarette. The vast majority of our customers are great and would think that is weird.’
Co-owner Enoely Fernandez, 33, said: ‘I just think posting his meal on Facebook was so silly.
‘We have since had lots of messages from people about this guy and how he has done similar things in the past.
‘The hard thing is the guy didn’t look suspicious. He wasn’t drunk. He wasn’t shouting. He wasn’t disruptive. He asked to go out for a cigarette and of course we said that was fine.
‘It was difficult for our bar staff as we just had to reassure them that they had done nothing wrong. It’s just really annoying for everyone.’
Co-owner Enoely Fernandez (pictured) said the man asked to go for a cigarette before running off without paying
Since the owners of Lazy Fox (pictured) shared the incriminating post other local restaurant owners have come forward claiming the man had done the same to them
A spokesman for Dorset Police said: ‘It is reported that at around 9pm on Monday 5 August 2024, customers left the Lazy Fox restaurant in Seamoor Road in Westbourne without paying for their food.
‘Officers are carrying out enquiries into this incident. No arrests have been made.’
