Police investigate after group 'leave restaurant without paying £400 bill'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Police are investigating after four women and several children reportedly left an Italian restaurant without paying their £400 bill.La Bella Vista in East Sussex posted pictures of the shameless diners on their Facebook in a bid to track them down and to warn other restaurants about what had happened.The group shared an array of starters, roast beef, which the restaurant serves as a Sunday special, and a selection of pasta before allegedly leaving the premises without squaring up their cheque.

A bill shown to the Mirror by the restaurant shows £425.38 outstanding and cops confirmed they are investigating the incident.Staff claimed they cornered one of the diners and locked the doors till the emergency services arrived.

It's then reported they were marched to a nearby cash machine and handed the restaurant boss "all she had" - which was £60. Footage shows the group loitering by the restaurant's door after police arrived.The restaurant said the group had pretended to find something in their meals before complaining to staff in the hope of getting a discount on their bill.Aldo Esposito, one of the owners, said: "It was a very traumatic situation for us.

There were four ladies and eight children, and they had enjoyed their food until they pretended they had found something in the food.