An alleged “dine and dash” couple has sparked a major manhunt after purportedly fleeing a pub without paying a £62 bill.
Daniel Alani and Kerry Stevens, both 38, are being sought by Essex Police over a series of incidents of allegedly making off without paying as well as failing to answer police bail.
The pair, described as a 5ft 8ins man of “stocky build” and a 5ft woman of “small build”, have known connections to Southend and Great Wakering.
Alani and Stevens were questioned for the first time earlier this year after regulars at The Castle Inn stopped them thinking they were trying to flee the pub without paying the bill.
The couple is believed to have dined on prawn cocktail, breaded mushrooms and two roast chicken dinners.
Landlord Ken Todd said: “For the sake of £62, if they came in and were starving I’d just give them the food.
“The man tried to leave through the back door of the pub which I had already locked and apparently the woman tried to escape by the bathroom window.”
Essex police are looking to speak to Alani and Stevens as they investigate a series of incidents where individuals “are reported to have failed to pay for taxi fares and restaurant bills, as well as a failure to answer police bail.”
The couple had previously been arrested in May after officers were called in to attend an address in Great Wakering.
They were probed over three alleged counts of making off without payment. The pair were only released on conditional bail in late July.
After failing to answer that bail, police launched an appeal for information about their whereabouts.
A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “Officers are looking to speak to them in connection with ongoing investigations into incidents where individuals are reported to have failed to pay for taxi fares and restaurant bills, as well as a failure to answer police bail.”
The pair are also believed to have been targeting taxi drivers, with many cabbies being swindled out of fares.