A COUPLE rented out a flat and hired thousands of pounds worth of plates and glasses for a wedding before going awol.

The pair hired 300 white china plates, 300 highball water glasses, 300 champagne flutes, 300 six-ounce glasses and six chafing dishes before disappearing.

It is believed they were using a stolen credit card to pay £314 to hire the goods, worth more than £3,000.

And now the company Hire All, in Hove Business Park, is offering a £200 reward for information leading to a conviction.

John Trueman, from Hired All, said: “At the end of August, somebody phoned up and paid £314.40 for the hire of the equipment and we delivered them down to Kemp Town.

“When we went to collect it there was no answer, but that happens sometimes.

“Then I went back and spoke to the building’s owners and they said the [customers] had been and gone.” He understands they were temporarily renting the flat in Chesham Place.

The items were delivered to the pair in new and expensive crates which have also disappeared.

Mr Trueman hopes people will come forward it they see the equipment being offered for sale.

He added: “We just thought that sooner or later we would get a phone-call from a venue to say, ‘we have got all your plates and glasses, come and pick them up'. But it has not happened.

“I have looked on lots of catering equipment sites to see if I could find them, but have not been able to so far. It is very strange.

“We have to buy extra flutes and extra glasses to fulfil our bookings. We are insured if somebody steals them from our premises, but not if we deliver them."

PC Gav Boddy said: "Unfortunately, it seems that the couple who have not returned the china and cutlery hired out to them may well have been acting under false names and possibly using stolen credit cards.

"We have visited the flat that they rented, but have now left, and there is nothing to indicate who they really are or where they may have gone.

"Unless we can establish that, it is unlikely that we will be able to progress any further and would therefore welcome any information that might identify them.

"If you do know 'Jason' or 'Sharon' or have any information that may result in their identification or the return of the stolen items, please email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting serial 462 of September 15."