Security footage shows a man bolting from a tattoo shop without paying, having just sat through a five-hour session which should have cost him more than £300. Watch below:
For obvious reasons, tattoo shops have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic - social distancing regulations mean it's been impossible for anyone to get close to other people in a professional setting.
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So it was of great relief to Amin Arayaei and his wife Elmira Karami, who own the Puzzle tattoo studio in Hyson Green, Nottingham, when they were finally allowed to re-open their business after lockdown.
But just days after doing so, the couple's business has been left hundreds of pounds out of pocket after a customer ran away without paying for the work he'd got done.
After Elmira had worked on a cover-up on the man's arm for five hours, the customer stepped outside for a cigarette - and then did a runner without paying the money he owed for the work.
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Talking to Nottingham Live after the incident, which occurred on 19 July, Elmira says it has left her feeling scared. She also thinks that the man may have stolen one of the tattoo machines from the store as well.
"He said he was just going out for five minutes," she said. "He had been asking me about the machines we have too, about the price. I noticed later that one of these has gone missing too.
"The tattoo was around £350 worth, the machine is worth £80. It has left me really scared about being in the shop alone."
Her husband added that he thinks the couple, who moved to the Nottingham area about four years, might have made the wrong decision about where it should be located.
Amin added: "We started our business, but feel this has been the wrong area, but we didn't have many choices. When I told people what happened, and put the post on our Facebook, they said, 'Welcome to Radford Road.'
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"Since lockdown happened, we have only been open since July 14, so this is very frustrating to happen less than a week later."
Police are also investigating the theft, and have asked anyone who was in the area at the time to provide any information they may have.
A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: "We have been informed of a theft at a business premises in Radford Road on Sunday and are investigating what happened.
"If anyone has any information in this case please call us on 101 quoting incident 769 of 19 July."
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