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7 months ago
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A couple who have been accused of carrying out a 'dine and dash' at an Italian restaurant have been wanted for 'doing runners' at a string of establishments in the past year, MailOnline can reveal.
Staff at the Bella Ciao Italian restaurant in Port Talbot, just west of Swansea, say the family-of-eight ordered expensive steaks, double desserts and 15 bottles of pop on Friday night, but left without paying their £329 bill.
Other outlets have also accused the mother and father from that family of leaving their premises without paying the tab in the past year.
The brazen family are said to arrive in a blue Ford van and order the most expensive dishes on the menu before doing a runner.
The Somerset Arms in Port Talbot, The Longbow Beefeater in Pontyclun, the Chilli Too Indian restaurant in Clydach, La Casona in Skewen, the Riverhouse Lounge and Restaurant in Swansea and The Yard in Cowbridge believe they have all been victims.
In August, the River House Lounge & Restaurant in Swansea posted CCTV images of the two family members onto its social media page after they had run up a 'hefty bill' and then 'carefully disappeared'.
Similar images of the mother were also uploaded by the Mediterranean eatery La Casona, in Skewen, who said it had reported the family to the police after they 'robbed' them back in February this year.
The family-of-eight racked up an unpaid £329 bill when they sat at the Bella Ciao Italian restaurant in Port Talbot, just west of Swansea, on Friday evening
In August, the River House Lounge & Restaurant in Swansea posted CCTV images of the same two family members onto its social media page after they had run up a 'hefty bill' and then 'carefully disappeared
Similar images of the mother were also uploaded by the Mediterranean eatery La Casona, in Skewen, who said it had reported the family to the police
South Wales Police have been informed every time the family strike and said Friday night's incident was being investigated to 'establish the full circumstances behind the incident and to identify those involved'.
On that night, CCTV footage showed the mother of the group attempting to pay the bill with a savings account card, which was declined twice.
She allegedly told staff her son would wait inside while she went to get her 'other card', but she did not return and moments later the boy had also vanished from the premises.
A similar trick was used by the couple at the River House last year, when they ran up a hefty bill whilst sitting on a table of five and 'promised' to get cash from the local cash point after their card got declined.
But the diners never returned, leading the restaurant owners to call the police.
On August 9, 2023, they posted a CCTV image of the father and mother in their establishment and wrote: 'Thank you so much to everyone for sharing. 12 positive identifications and the Police are now dealing with the information we have been given.
'Please SHARE to help identify these. They run up a very hefty bill (for 5) and 'promised' to get cash from the local cash point after their card got declined. We like to put some trust in people, but this was obviously carefully planned as they all just disappeared!'
After hearing the Bella Ciao on Friday, the La Casona restaurant in Skewen, Neath, took to social media this weekend to share a similar story about the family, who sat down to eat as a group of six on February 23.
According to the restaurant, four of the group left the building after finishing their meal, which cost nearly £300, leaving the mother to stay with a 'young boy' to pay.
The business posted a CCTV image of the mother, who told staff she would get another card from her car after the one she used was declined.
Having been given the bill, CCTV footage shows the mother of the group attempting to pay with a savings account card which got declined twice
The mother allegedly told staff her son (left) would wait inside while she went to get her 'other card', but she did not return and moments later the boy had also vanished from the premises
The restaurant asked the boy to wait with them whilst she went to the car, but he was gone 10 seconds later and never returned.
They wrote on Facebook: '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 sent CCTV recordings, photos, and even the registration plate number. The response was: "This vehicle is connected to many people…"
'Two months later, we called to ask about our case. There was no update, but the Officer would contact us... We believed reporting to the police would help to prevent such events for other restaurants—but apparently, it didn't.'
Tyrone Reese, manager of Bella Ciao, also said he was disappointed by the lack of urgency shown by the force to catch the perpetrators, adding: 'I'm paying my tax for police but I seem to be powerless. It annoys me to know this is happening and that they are getting away with it.'
To add insult to injury, the family-owned restaurant learned there was no way to contact the family as the number they used to take the booking was 'fake'. Mr Reese has now reported the incident to the police.
The dine and dash video he posted onto Bella Ciao's social media pages went viral over the weekend, with more than 12 million people viewing the post.
After publishing the clip, Mr Reese says he was bombarded with calls from other restaurants in the area, claiming they also had similar incidents with a family that had refused to pay.
But the video has actually helped Mr Reese's business as the following night he had tripled the number of bookings, something he described as a 'sign of solidarity' from the local community.
Leaving a restaurant without paying is a crime and carries a prison sentence of up to two years.
MailOnline have approached La Casona and the River House Lounge & Restaurant for a comment.
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