The Riverton Bar and Grill: Owner ‘disgusted’ after group leaves Perth bar ‘trashed’, steals inflatable Santa

The owner of a family-run bar and restaurant in Riverton was left “disgusted” after a patron stole their beloved inflatable Santa used to bring Christmas spirit to the venue for six years.

Late last month, a group of men arrived at The Riverton Bar and Grill in Parkwood at about 2.30pm for what owner Nat Graham-Helwig suspected to be lunch between a few friends.

But once the group had left the restaurant around 3.45pm, Mr Graham-Helwig said the area was left “completely trashed”.

“We hadn’t realised until they left as they were sitting in our alfresco area that they had smashed several of our plates, burnt an umbrella and left the table trashed with food,” he said.

It was at this point that one staff member noticed their beloved inflatable rock and roll Santa was missing from the restaurant, which prompted Graham-Helwig to check his CCTV footage.

In the video, one member of the group can be seen stealing the restaurant’s inflatable Santa before shoving it into a van and quickly driving away.

“We’ve had the Santa for six years, and kids and family loved to take photos next to him

“It was disgusting behaviour and not something you’d like to see happen around Christmas time,” he said.

Mr Graham-Helwig said he decorated the restaurant every year for Christmas and was “shocked” after watching the footage.

“It was so petty and dumb, and especially not in the Christmas spirit,” Mr Graham-Helwig said.

“I couldn’t believe anyone would do something like that.”

The incident has since been reported to Cannington Police and investigations are ongoing.