The 'Fine Dining Bandit' Strikes Across London
A serial thief dubbed the 'fine dining bandit' has been targeting luxury London establishments, making off with nearly £2,000 worth of premium food items and flowers in a series of brazen early-morning thefts. The woman, described as having long brown hair, is believed to have struck at least four times in the past month, specialising in stealing high-value deliveries from the doorsteps of upmarket restaurants and florists.
Four Targeted Thefts Revealed
The theft spree began on November 4 when approximately £800 of premium meat was stolen from outside Galvin La Chapelle, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spitalfields. CCTV footage shows a hooded figure rummaging through delivery boxes in the early hours.
Just five miles away in Chelsea, Elystan Street restaurant fell victim on Tuesday when a woman calmly walked off with £300 of langoustines at around 8am. The footage, shared by owner Phil Howard, shows the alleged thief wearing a navy jacket, blue jeans and white shoes.
Chris Galvin, owner of Galvin La Chapelle, told reporters he would 'put money' on it being the same woman in each incident, noting both culprits had similar long brown hair.
Orchids and More Shellfish Targeted
Two more businesses have since come forward with similar experiences. Petals at Bibendum, a florist near Sloane Square, reported £400 of white orchids stolen, with CCTV capturing a woman reaching through the shop gates to take the flowers.
Max Cansdale, who runs the shop with his father, expressed frustration: 'Me and my dad work hard seven days a week, so why should somebody feel they can take advantage of us and get around for free?'
Meanwhile, Notting Hill's 104 Restaurant reported two boxes of langoustines worth about £200 each stolen in similar circumstances. Owner Richard Wilkins believes the same prolific thief is responsible for these latest incidents.
Organised Crime Suspected
Restaurant owners suspect the thief operates within a network that can offload stolen luxury goods. Richard Wilkins commented: 'It seems really bizarre, why would they steal langoustines? But I think these people know what it is. They have people they can palm it off to who will then sell it to restaurants or pubs. It's a network of people.'
Becky McLaughlin, restaurant manager at Elystan Street, highlighted the financial impact on businesses: 'It's a cost that somebody just doesn't realise, where it's now going to have to be swallowed. In these times it's incredibly different for restaurants so things like this can be so damaging which people don't realise.'
National Parcel Theft Epidemic
These incidents reflect a wider national problem with so-called 'porch pirates'. Police data reveals that £666.5 million worth of packages were stolen in the 12 months to July, up significantly from £377 million the previous year. This has affected nearly five million households across the UK.
As businesses increase security measures, London's fine dining establishments remain on high alert for the return of this particular porch pirate, whose taste for luxury ingredients has caused thousands of pounds in losses during already challenging economic times.
