'Dine and dash' group flee restaurant after racking up £174 bill as police issue images

A brazen quartet racked up a £174 bill worth of food and drink at a North Yorkshire restaurant before .

today said they wanted to speak with four women after the bill went unpaid at the Lookout on the Pier Café in Scarborough. It added the dine and dash happened on the afternoon of September 15.

Police uploaded the photos of the women to its X/ account earlier today (October 16) and urged people who recognised them to contact police. The women were seen at different locations in the restaurant with some having their faces clearly visible to the camera.

"If you recognise any of the women pictured, please get in touch as we believe they will have information that will assist our investigation," a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said. The has contacted North Yorkshire Police for an update.

Anyone with information has been asked to email david.fulford@northyorkshire.police.uk or calling the police on 1010, selecting option 2 and asking for 1222PC David Fulford, collar number 1222. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website and quote reference 12240170632 when passing on information.

According to Tripadvisor, the restaurant holds a 4.5 star rating out of five based on more than 500 reviews. In a review summary, Lookout On the Pier is reportedly known for its fresh seafood and is known for its value for money and service.

The Mirror has contacted the Lookout on the Pier Café for comment.

This latest dine and dash incident further highlights the plight of restaurant owners and employees who face having customers run out on their bill.

The Mirror has reported on numerous incidents across the UK where diners have bailed on paying their bills, leaving restaurants hundreds of pounds out of pocket. In May, dine and dash couple Bernard McDonagh and his wife Ann were jailed for 20 months after skipping out on paying a combined £1,000 during a multi dine and dash spree.

Footage of after the party of eight left the Bella Ciao Italian restaurant in Swansea without paying a £329 bill. The family scoffed pricey T-bone steaks and guzzled down 15 bottles of pop before they ran out on the bill.

The incident sparked ire online with the video of the incident quickly attracting more than 12 million views in little more than a few hours. The widespread sharing of the incident led other restaurants in Wales to reveal they had been exploited by the couple.

In another case, a family restaurant in St Leonards, East Sussex, claimed after being repeatedly targeted by dine and dashers. Chief Inspector Jay Mendis-Gunaskera said in July: "We're really proactive with our business crime teams. We work with local businesses to support our communities and try to bring the offenders of these types of crimes to justice."