Manhunt for pint-sized ‘serial dine and sprint’ couple who ‘conned eating places’

Police are on the lookout for a serial dine-and-dash couple who allegedly ran from two restaurants and ten taxis without paying up.

Daniel Alani and Kerry Stevens, both 38, are wanted in connection with a number of alleged ‘dine and dashes’ and for failing to answer bail, police said. The pair were originally arrested after officers attended an address in Great Wakering, near Southend, Essex on May 2.

They were quizzed on suspicion of three counts of making off without payment and released on conditional bail until late July.

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Kerry Stevens
(Image: Essex Police / SWNS)

But they didn’t answer that bail, prompting Essex Police to issue an appeal for information about their whereabouts.

A force spokesman 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.”

Alani is described as being around 5ft 8ins in height and of stocky build, while Stevens is around 5ft in height and of small build, police said.

They have previous links to the Southend and Great Wakering areas, it is believed.

They were first probed by police in connection with a dine and dash incident where regulars stopped a couple fleeing a pub without paying their £62 bill.

A couple are believed to have fled The Castle Inn without paying £62.20 after scoffing prawn cocktail, breaded mushrooms and two roast chicken dinners with extra lamb.

They also drank two cokes, an orange juice and a medium glass of pinot wine.

Landlord Ken Todd, 76, said previously: “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.”

The pair are also believed to have been targeting taxi drivers, with many cabbies being swindled out of fares.

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Crime