Posted on 02/09/2010 9:48:35 PM PST by dennisw
An Oakland man suspected of stealing meals at restaurants throughout the Bay Area might have run out of luck after a $60 gourmet feeding in Tiburon, authorities said.
Dwayne Kerry Morgan, 43, was arraigned Friday on charges of burglary, giving false identification and petty theft with prior convictions, said Deputy District Attorney Linda Witong.
The incident occurred Thursday night at Servino Ristorante, an upscale Italian restaurant on the Tiburon waterfront, where a man ordered a robust meal of Monterey calamari with marinara ($13.95); the Grigliata Mista plate of grilled ahi, king salmon, calamari steak, prawns and mixed vegetables ($24.95); a glass of Servino Reserve zinfandel, Mendocino County ($9); and, for dessert, the Profiteroles Dwayne Kerry Morgan, 43, was arraigned Friday on misdemeanor charges. (DMV photo) puff pastry filled with French vanilla ice cream covered with dark Godiva chocolate ($7).
After the meal, the man's waitress handed him a billfold containing the tab. The man appeared to put money in the billfold and handed it back to the waitress.
"She said, 'Thank you, sir.' And he said, 'No, thank you!'" said Tiburon police Sgt. Shane Ford.
The man left, and the waitress opened the billfold to find no money inside.
Employees went out to the street, confronted the man, and flagged down police. As it happened, police were posted on Main Street that night to keep watch on the local hotels, which feared a possible strike by a gunman who has robbed three Marin hotels in the past several days, Ford said.
Police arrested the suspect, who initially gave a false name but then identified himself as Morgan as police prepared to check his fingerprints. Morgan told police he had been running similar operations at many other restaurants, and often other customers would step in to pay his bill when a dispute ensued with the staff, Ford said.
"He said he does that twice a day throughout the Bay Area," Ford said. "Twice a day he'll go in and eat a meal and leave without paying."
Morgan remained in custody Friday in lieu of $20,000 bail.
The district attorney's office is also seeking to revoke Morgan's probation in another case. Last month, he was convicted of defrauding an innkeeper in San Rafael, Witong said.
The galloping gourmet. He got tubby from all his thievery. Jail food sucks compared to what he was stealing from restaurants
I once saw a Laurel and Hardy movie that was like this situation.
A Gourmand is a woman, a Gourmet is a man - shows the quality of journalism these days.
Thief and con man.
Yeah, and what about the Garkons? If a meal cost that much, there has to Garkons, not just waitresses.
parsy, who met a Garkon once
Shows you the quality of commentary these days.
He got real fat by living off the fat of the land. Lots of ripped off waitresses and restaurateurs are cheering tonight
Dude tried that in Tiburon? Guess he wanted to get caught.
I know you are kidding. But he's not simply a a poor hungry man if he's going into posh restaurants for his meals and ordering the best food. There are missions where the down and out can get free food, and churches give away bags of groceries. He's just a plain con artist.
As Larry Fine would say, he’s a common sewer.
Wikipedia says "In 2004 Tiburon became the first city in the world to eliminate trans-fats from all its restaurants."
He just wanted to eat healthier ;-)
and, for dessert, the Profiteroles Dwayne Kerry Morgan, 43, was arraigned Friday on misdemeanor charges. (DMV photo) puff pastry filled with French vanilla ice cream covered with dark Godiva chocolate
Why are the greedy restaurants trying to profiteer from this fine young man’s hunger?
Dwayne Kerry Morgan, 43, was arraigned Friday on misdemeanor charges. (DMV photo) ..........
I copied the photo’s caption by mistake
FREELOADER
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