Man Accused of Eating $70 Worth at Sneakers, Bolting on Check

A man who was accused of eating $70 worth of food at Sneakers Bar & Grill in San Mateo on Friday and then running out on the check, was chased by employees and arrested, San Mateo County sheriff's officials said in a news release.

The incident was reported shortly after 2 p.m. March 1 at the business in the 1100 block of San Carlos Avenue, sheriff's officials said.

A community services officer assigned to San Carlos patrol was working parking enforcement in the 600 block of Laurel Street when a citizen told her a theft had just occurred at Sneakers, sheriff's officials said.

The citizen told the officer the suspect was seen running south through a Wells Fargo parking lot "while being chased by restaurant employees," sheriff's officials said.

Restaurant employees said the suspect ordered and ate $70 worth of food before he ran out the rear alley door without paying, sheriff's officials said.

The employees chased him and flagged down a deputy, who stopped and detained the suspect, identified as Patrick Higgins, 43, of San Carlos.

"Higgins was identified by restaurant employees and further investigation revealed that he was also on parole in Marin County," sheriff's officials said.

Higgins was booked at Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on a charge of burglary for his alleged dine-and-dash escapade, and he earned a parole violation as well, sheriff's officials said.

Higgins remained locked up Monday afternoon at Maguire Correctional, where his bail was listed at $10,000 but he was held without bail on the parole violation, a jailer at the facility said in a phone interview.

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