A knife-wielding sushi chef chased a customer down Gorge Road Thursday afternoon after the diner dashed without paying the bill.
The man racked up $64 in food at Chiba Sushi at Government and Gorge Road East and then tried to slip out the door around 1 p.m., saying the money was on the table.
Head sushi chef Ivan Eng chased after the man down Gorge Road East while staff called 911.
While carrying his sushi knife, he called out for passing drivers to call 911 and kept pursuit for several minutes, all the way to Manchester Road, where Victoria police arrived.
Officers arrested a man who is in his mid-30s and is a well-known prolific offender in the city, said Const. Rob Horne.
“In the past, the chef had confronted him and the man threatened to fight him,” Horne said.
He said Eng was warned that he should not have brought the knife and to next time follow from a safe distance until police arrive.
“I just followed him and two drivers, they called the police,” said Eng.
Eng has been sushi chef at Chiba for about six years. He said he’s happy police caught the man and trusts he won’t come in for sushi again.
kderosa@timescolonist.com
