The two tourists thought they’d got away with a ‘dine and dash’ at a pizza eatery in Italy – but the restaurant owner wasn’t having any of it and took matters into her own hands
The CCTV image was uploaded to Facebook(Image: Facebook/I Due Re Civitanova Marche)
Two tourists who attempted to dine and dash were caught thanks to the quick thinking of an Italian restaurant owner who used social media to track them down.
Italian-based media platform Cronache Maceratesi reports that Michela Malatini, proprietor of I Due Re pizzeria in Civitanova Marche, shared CCTV images of the pair on the eatery’s Facebook page, using comments from followers to identify them.
The duo, both around 30-years-old, had consumed two pizzas and two drinks each, racking up a bill of €44 (approximately £38). However, when it came time to settle the bill, they simply stood up and left the establishment.
“I noticed that the table was empty and waited to ensure they hadn’t just gone to the loo,” Michela told journalists.
In response, the irate businesswoman took a snapshot of the culprits from the restaurant’s CCTV footage and posted it on the pizzeria’s Facebook page.
The tourists had a pizza and two drinks each
She revealed that she had developed a knack for identifying potential bill dodgers due to the frequency of such incidents, and had devised her own unique method of dispensing justice.
Michela stated: “It happens often. The police? I don’t call them. I always find the customers, I have my own method.”
“I had seen them both and knew where they were heading,” she continued. “I posted a message on Facebook and, thanks to some comments, I was able to locate them.”
The restaurant is a large beach club with 70 employees(Image: Facebook/I Due Re Civitanova Marche)
A few hours after her post, Michela received a response that read: “Found! I’m at the B&B.”
She reached out to the B&B’s manager and headed there, prepared to hand the oblivious tourists their bill as soon as they awoke.
“They didn’t even understand what was going on, but they recognised me and took out their wallets,” she said.
The pair ducked out on a £38 bill
She added: “It’s more of a story to smile about. It happens once or twice a week,” Michela added. “I’ve always dealt with it this way; I’ve never called the police.
“Thanks to the cameras, I can find those who run away, contact them and tell them I’ll be waiting for them to settle the bill, showing them the security video. The next day, they all come back,” she explained with a laugh.
She said that it’s the principle of the thing, rather than the loss of the €44. “It’s not so much about the money,” she said.
“It’s a large beach club with 70 employees, and €44 doesn’t make a difference. But if people start thinking that they can come and eat without paying, it becomes a problem.”
Dining and Cooking