'Eat-and-run scammer' hits 20 Perth restaurants with unusual photo trick

The man who allegedly didn't pay his bill allowed the Local Shack to take his photo. Photo / News Corp

An eat-and-run scammer allegedly ripped off more than 20 restaurants for thousands of dollars with a sneaky trick that left businesses unable to make him pay up.

The hungry customer reportedly racked up bills as high as $470 at bars and eateries around Perth, before vanishing into thin air.

His alleged con involved promising he would return the next day to pay, giving staff his name and driver's licence and letting them take his photograph as a guarantee.

When The Local Shack contacted the police, they learnt that it wasn't theft because the restaurant had agreed to his alleged offer to return and pay and taken his details as surety. They had effectively entered into a verbal contract, making it a civil matter.

"It is no longer criminal because it's a contractual agreement where we have taken an assurance," the restaurant's head of operations Chloe Debono told ABC Radio Perth Mornings.

The Local Shack posted the photo of the alleged scammer on Facebook in an effort to track him down after he disappeared last week. "Two nights ago, the customer featured below didn't pay the bill as he had 'forgotten' his wallet," wrote the restaurant. "This bill was over $150. We are a small family business and need this to be shared to catch this guy and pass on details to police."

The eatery later updated the post to say it had discovered the man had allegedly done the same to a string of other businesses in the area, including Como Hotel, Brotzeit, Bivouac Canteen, Hog's Breath Midland, Roxby Thai Bar and Grill, Belgian Beer Cafe, Mandurah Cafe, The Modern Eatery in Fremantle, Three Coins in Mount Lawley and even Perth taxi drivers.

The man allegedly scammed businesses out of thousands of dollars in total, including $473 from a Fremantle restaurant where he dined on seafood with two friends.

WA Police told news.com.au: "At approximately 7pm last night, police were called to a restaurant in Northbridge following reports that a man would not pay his bill.

"He will appear in the Perth Magistrates Court today."