West Des Moines Man Banned from Bar Until He Can Pay Tab

A West Des Moines man faces a fourth-degree theft charge -- and is banned from a West Glen at Town Center nightclub -- after he allegedly bought rounds of drinks for patrons of Tonic, but didn't have the money in his bank account to pay the bar tab.

Matt Basart, an employee of Tonic, 5535 Mills Civic Parkway, called West Des Moines Police at 2:03 a.m. on April 9 to report Cody Allen Reed, 23, 640 S. 50^th St., Apt. 1250, West Des Moines, was drinking there. According to a police report, Reed had purchased $360 in drinks but his debit card was declined when employees tries to process the tab.

According to Officer Amanda St. George’s report, “Basart said that Cody had been buying rounds for other patrons at the bar. Basart said that he would not take collateral for the tab.”

The police report noted that Reed is unemployed.

Reed said he had money on the card and did not know why it was being declined. He only had $70 cash with him, the police report said, and he kept that.

Reed attempted several phone calls and was unable to make contact with anyone to bring him money to pay the bill, according to the report. 

“Reed said he had no one left to contact because they would all be drunk and passed out,” St. George wrote in the police report.

Reed was charged with fourth-degree theft, and he was warned not to return to the bar until the tab was settled, or face a trespassing charge.