Major update issued after family-of-eight 'did runner without paying £329 bill'

There has been an update in the case of the family who were accused of dining and dashing from a restaurant in Wales.

You may already have heard of this, but just to bring everyone up to speed the newly opened Bella Ciao restaurant in Swansea claimed that a family left them 'devastated' after leaving without paying their £329 bill.

A family-of-eight were accused of a dine and dash incident, with the restaurant sharing a picture of them and declaring 'shame on you'.

The table apparently ordered steaks, plenty of drinks and double desserts before deserting the restaurant without staking a claim to the bill.

Restaurant manager Tyrone Reese told the Mirror they were 'ordering the most expensive things on the menu' and his wife thought something was amiss with their orders, particularly as they were 'sending plates back half empty'.

In a post on social media the restaurant claimed that the woman prominently featured in their pictures twice tried to pay with a savings account card which was declined both times.

Swansea's Bella Ciao restaurant claimed a family of eight had done a 'dine and dash' on them. (Facebook/Bella Ciao Swansea)

They went on to say that she said she'd go out and get her 'other card', leaving her son inside the restaurant to wait.

"Of course she does not return and then the son receives a phone call and says he has to go and does a runner," the restaurant said.

Bella Ciao also alleges that the family left a fake contact number to reserve the table, leaving the restaurant little choice but to get the police involved.

As far as that's concerned there's been an update, with the police announcing a development in the case.

In a statement on the matter South Wales Police said: "Two people have been arrested following reports of several incidents of non-payment of restaurant bills and shoplifting.

"A 41-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, both from Sandfields, Port Talbot, have been arrested for fraud (obtaining services dishonestly) and theft offences.

South Wales Police said that two people have been arrested after 'several incidents of non-payment of restaurant bills and shoplifting'. (Facebook/Bella Ciao Swansea)

"They are currently in police custody at Swansea Central police station.

"Our investigation is ongoing."

Police had previously told LADbible they were called just before 9:40pm on 19 April to attend to a call 'of making off without payment from a business premises on Castle Street, Swansea'.

Police said they'd be investigating the matter to work out who the family members were and get a full picture of what happened.

Reese said that since posting about it on social media he'd had plenty of other calls from nearby restaurants allegeding they'd had similar incidents with a family.

On a slightly more positive note the restaurant manager said that bookings had tripled, while Reese sees as a 'sign of solidarity'.

Topics: UK News, Crime, Social Media, Food And Drink

Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

@MrJoeHarker