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Lincolnshire Police reveals number of dine and dash crimes reported




Forgetting to pay at a restaurant or pub is an honest mistake - but new figures have revealed how many are walking out without paying deliberately.

After the heart dropping realisation that the bill was never settled, most people would probably return slightly red faced and do the honest thing.

But for a small number of diners, this “mistake” is deliberate as they never intended to pay at all.

Used plates on table in restaurant after meal. Image: iStock.
Used plates on table in restaurant after meal. Image: iStock.

In the first seven months of this year, Lincolnshire Police received 20 reports of non-payment of food or drink, data from a Freedom of Information request submitted by LincsOnline has revealed.

Just one of these resulted in an arrest but no-one was ever charged.

It’s a crime coined ‘dine and dash’ that is said to be sweeping the nation with increasing numbers of hospitality businesses up and down the country getting conned by greedy diners who have no intention of picking up the tab.

Police news
Police news

Various tactics are reportedly employed - ranging from those who eat a full meal before finding something to complain about and refusing to pay through to those who simply disappear without coughing up.

Lincoln has had the highest number of incidents reported this year, eight, followed by Grantham with five dine and dash crimes logged with police.

There have been three in Skegness, two in Boston, one in Market Rasen and one in Gainsborough.

Although, these figures don’t necessarily reflect how many incidents have happened as some owners may choose not to report the crime to police.

In the past five years, the number of dine and dash crimes reported to police have fluctuated.

In 2019 27 incidents were recorded followed by 11 in 2020 and 22 in 2021 - although eateries were subject to closures because of the covid pandemic.

There were 15 reported incidents in 2022 with the highest number of dine and dash crimes, 48, recorded last year.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “The offence of making off without payment is a type of theft, and a conviction could lead to imprisonment and/or a fine. Therefore Lincolnshire Police would deal with instances of this crime as it would any other.”

The force offers guidance to business owners on how to deter dine and dash criminals, which is accessible on its website.

This includes keeping the restaurant and car park tidy, having fewer exit points, installing CCTV and registering faces by greeting customers as they enter the premises.

Business owners are also advised to take mobile phone numbers when accepting bookings and ask for credit card details.

In the event of an incident, they are encouraged to call the police as quickly as possible – and avoid taking matters into their own hands.

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