Police probe 'dine and dash' group accused of fleeing without paying £489 bill

31 October 2023 , 17:49

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Stubbs Restaurant in Ashford, Kent (Image: Facebook)

Police have launched an investigation into a group of diners who allegedly racked up an unpaid £489 bill at lunch before speeding off in an untaxed Audi worth £40,000.

The party of seven have been publicly shamed by Stubbs Restaurant in Ashford, Kent, as bosses have released CCTV footage and details of their "dine and dash" visit on Facebook. They also shared an image of the group's bill, which shows they enjoyed wine, cider, a selection of starters, oysters and lobster thermidor. Officers have now attended the restaurant to collect footage as - despite widespread publicity - the group have still not come forward to offer to settle the outstanding bill

The culprits could be charged under section 3 of the 1978 Theft Act, which deals with people who dine and then leave without paying (Facebook)

The party ordered four lobster thermidors which cost a total of £216, as well as an entrecote steak with a green peppercorn sauce for £31.50 and a skate dish for £23.95 (Facebook)

A spokesman for Kent Police said: "Kent Police is investigating after it was reported a group of people left a restaurant in Ashford without paying.The incident is alleged to have occurred at the Stubbs Restaurant in Canterbury Road, Ashford, during the afternoon of Sunday 29 October 2023 when the group of seven people ordered various food and drink to the value of £489.90."

It continued: "The owner reported that the group left the restaurant after consuming the meals and did not pay for the items. Officers are carrying out enquiries including reviewing CCTV footage."

The culprits could be charged under section 3 of the 1978 Theft Act, which deals with people who dine and then leave without paying. Leaving an establishment without paying is considered an offence and carries a prison sentence of up to two years. The bill showed the group's three lobsters, crab and prawn cocktails alone cost £59.95.

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The restaurant released the 'dine and dash' group's whopping bill online - totalling nearly £500 (Facebook)

The group have been publicly shamed (Facebook)

They then ordered two servings of crispy brie priced at £17.90 altogether, as well as a more moderately priced calamari at £9.95 and chicken liver parfait at £8.95. There were also two orders of a dozen oysters costing £16 each on Sunday afternoon.

For their mains, the large party ordered four lobster thermidors which cost a total of £216, as well as an entrecote steak with a green peppercorn sauce for £31.50 and a skate dish for £23.95. The group also bought drinks including three pints of Thatchers at £5.50 each, as well as a couple of 250ml glass of Malbec at £10.90 each and various glasses of Shiraz and Pinot Grigio, Mail Online reports.

In a bid to catch the offenders, the restaurant - which has received widespread support from the local community - publicly shamed the offenders and released CCTV footage of the diners, who they claim drove off "as fast as they could".

Posting alongside images of the alleged customers, they wrote: "Please come back and pay your bill! We are a private restaurant and will not survive with you doing this to us. You ate all of your meal and we gave you fabulous service… yet you drove off, as fast as you could, without paying."

Joseph Gamp