Five customers brazenly leave Narrabeen’s Seaside Eatery without paying
Police are hunting restaurant ‘runners’ after five customers — including two children — brazenly bolted from a popular northern beaches pizzeria without paying up.
Police are hunting restaurant “runners” after five customers — including two children — brazenly bolted from a popular pizzeria without paying.
Before they took off, the group, who have English accents, ran up a bill of $313.50 at the Seaside Eatery on Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen.
Images of the diners, captured on security cameras inside the restaurant, are circulating on a number of social media sites on the northern beaches as loyal customers try to help police catch the runners.
Restaurant owner Victor Abnous said the diners, who he described as “scumbags”, arrived at his restaurant about 7pm last Friday and ordered a number of entrees and main meals, as well as seven imported beers and four glasses of cola.
“I think that the whole thing was all planned,” Mr Abnous, who opened the eatery 22 years ago, said.
“There were two men, a woman and two children - a boy and a girl aged about 12 and 13. I had never seen them before.
“They sat down and ordered entrees for everybody. It’s unusual for people to order entrees for their kids.
“They ate everything that was out in front of them. They even licked their plates.”
After the group received the bill, which included payment for mussels, spaghetti bolognese and chicken carbonara, one of the men asked Mr Abnous: “What’s this you’ve given us”?
“I told him it was the bill and that he should pay it,” Mr Abnous said.
“The woman and the kids had already left and then the men started shouting at me that the service was bad, the food was bad and that they were not going to pay.
“I said to them that if the food was so bad, why was their nothing left on their plates. Even their kids ate everything.
“I mean, if there was something wrong with the food, why didn’t they tell my staff earlier in the evening.”
As the argument escalated Mr Abnous picked up a phone and said he was going to call the police if the group did not pay.
“Then one of them threw the book containing the bill and at me and the three of them walked out,” he said.
Mr Abnous believed the group were from England and were travelling through the northern beaches.
“I think they are tourists and I think they have done this sort of thing before.
“I also think they are a bunch of scumbags.
“We work our guts out to run a good restaurant and these people come along and rip us off. It’s just not right”.
Northern Beaches Police confirmed they were investigating a group, including three adults in the late 20s, who refused to pay their restaurant bill.
Aussie SailGP crew hit 93km/h but dodge drama, controversy and storm
Record penalties, flying starts, close calls, nosedives and cheeky moves – day one of the Sydney SailGP had it all and more. including one very happy Australian team.
Developer reveals $34m northern beaches shop-top apartment plan
A strip of shops in the main street of a Sydney beachside suburb is the target of a $34m apartment proposal by one of the city’s biggest developers. Take a look.