A Cape Town woman dubbed the 'Mother City's dine-and-dash queen' was arrested after she racked up thousands of rands in an unpaid food and booze bill at an upmarket restaurant in the CBD before she allegedly fled but forgot her cellphone behind.
Courtney October – also known as Courtney Azariah – rocked up at Restaurant Boujee earlier this month with two of her friends before the trio dined and dashed.
The trio ordered, among others, three Pornstar Martini's, 12 oysters, 12 crayfish tails, three plates of egg-fried rice, a crunch platter and Purple Rain. The entire bill amounted to well over R3 000.
"At the end of the night, after finishing their food, Courtney informed the waiter that the bill will be settled on the company’s account because she is an influencer. Their bill added up to R3 425," Boujee owner Ladipo Akindele told Weekend Argus.
"The floor manager informed her that such arrangements are normally communicated with the staff and given that no such communication was relayed to them, she was obligated to settle the bill," said Akindele.
"Shortly thereafter she informed the waiter that they were heading to the ATM and would be back to settle the bill. Her word was take,n given that she had her phone on charge at the bar ... some time passed before management was contacted regarding the matter, informing them that Courtney and her two companions had left the restaurant a while ago to go to the ATM but had still not returned.
"The restaurant’s staff was instructed to contact the police and upon arrival the restaurant’s staff informed police that the ladies had still not returned.
“The police stated that they were to be given more time, as they too assumed that she would return to collect her phone. Courtney and her companions have not returned."
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie confirmed that a case was opened.
"We can confirm that the owner of the restaurant laid a charge of theft with false pretences (bilking) against the suspect who allegedly ordered food for her and friends but afterwards refused to pay for the bill," said Pojie, adding that October was arrested and released on a warning.
October, who couldn't be reached for comment, will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on March 28.
Akindele said days after he opened the case, October contacted the restaurant, asking to get her phone back.
"She was informed that her phone was in the restaurant’s safe and that it was as a failure of returning to the restaurant that the restaurant remained in possession of the phone,“ he told Weekend Argus.
“Courtney was informed that she may collect her phone and settle the bill. Courtney agreed to this arrangement, but ended (up) not collecting the phone nor settling the bill. Two days after communicating with the restaurant staff, October created an Instagram page that held content of a defamatory nature towards the owner of Restaurant Boujee in his personal capacity, as well the business," he said.
"It has later been found that Ms October forms part of a syndicate who extort money and services from affluent men and business," said Akindele – something Pojie said would form part of the police's investigation.
It's not the first time that Boujee has fallen prey to crime. A former employee, Luan Schultz, allegedly re-routed up to R1.6million from his business before he was caught. Akindele was among a number of Cape Town restaurateurs who registered criminal cases against Schultz.
Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa) told Weekend Argus yesterday that it was concerned with anything that threatens the livelihoods of restaurants and their employees – including the trend of patrons absconding without paying a bill.
“We are emerging from a period where (Covid) restrictions meant reduced trading and many restaurants are just getting back on their feet,” said Fedhasa Cape Town chair, Lee-Anne Singer.
“The fact that an individual would take advantage in this way is incomprehensible, considering it affects the livelihoods of staff employed by that restaurant.
“The hospitality industry is one that is collaborative and we keep each other informed about issues such as this so that we can all benefit from the power of information sharing, reducing the chance of this happening to others.”
Last year the popular Saint Champagne Bar and Lounge in Cape Town made headlines when it had devised creative ways to ensure getting payment from patrons who had to settle their hefty bills.
The establishment took to social media and posted the names of patrons who had outstanding balances.
One of the “most wanted” customers, owed R224 000 while there are other patrons who have outstanding tabs of around R150 000, R110 000 and R90 000.
Weekend Argus