Warning over cleaning scam
Police in the West Country are warning restaurants to be on the alert for a scam involving dry-cleaning bills.
The bills, for around £10 and including receipts, have been sent to about half-a-dozen restaurants in Bath, and an accompanying letter says it is to cover the cost of dry cleaning after staff spilled food on the sender's clothing.
One man who was targeted, Phil Chant of the Bathwick Boatman restaurant, said his suspicions were aroused because the letter said the manager had told the author to send the bill.
"We don't have a manager, and neither my wife nor I remembered such an incident," said Chant. "We passed the letter to the police. The letter and bill were obviously photocopied."