A beauty customer treated herself to a two-hour pamper session at a Hampshire salon before fleeing without paying her £85 bill. The incident took place at New Milton Nails in the market town of New Milton.
Details of the incident
The woman spent more than two hours at the salon, receiving an infill acrylic set with colour tips for £35 and a full pedicure with polish removal for £50. She was dressed in pink, wore sunglasses on her head and white sliders, and enjoyed a complimentary coffee while staff worked on her hands and feet.
CCTV from inside the shop showed her scrolling through her smartphone while a nail technician worked on her nails. Despite signs around the shop stating cash only, she attempted to pay with a bank card when the bill arrived.
Escape and aftermath
When told cards were not accepted, she said she would go to a cash machine across the street. Staff watched as she walked past the ATM and got into a blue vehicle that was parked and waiting nearby. The woman, who spoke with an Irish accent, is believed to be a holidaymaker staying at a local campsite in the New Forest.
Owner Hope Tran said she had to cover the £85 shortfall herself so her staff would not lose out. She told the Bournemouth News: "As soon as she came in I had a bad feeling. She had a strong accent and mentioned she had been camping, hence she was all covered in mud. She went to the toilet to use our cleaning brush to brush off her slider."
Ms Tran added: "I still had to pay my hard working staff who did her nails for over two hours, meaning they could not do any other paying clients during that time. I have to use my own money to cover all her costs - nail products, electric, water." She said she did not call the police as she doubted they could trace the woman.
Public reaction
Local clients have posted CCTV images of the woman on social media in the hope of identifying her. Outraged resident Helen White called her a "disgrace" and a "thieving low life", while customer Sally Dinham said: "No small business can afford this, people who do this are complete lowlifes."
