An audacious expatriate named Aidas hatched a cunning restaurant scam by savoring sumptuous meals but without parting a single euro. His method? He feigned heart attacks in over 20 restaurants to dodge paying for his dining extravagance.
The restaurant scam
Aidas’s modus operandi was nothing short of theatrical. After indulging in hearty feasts, he would dramatically slump to the floor, pretending to be in the throes of a life-threatening heart attack. The charade was complete with agonizing groans and contorted expressions, leaving restaurant staff and patrons in disbelief.
Restaurant owners soon caught on to Aidas’s ruse. One establishment owner, from “El Buen Comer,” described the performance as “very theatrical,” recounting the elaborate fainting act that followed hearty orders, including several glasses of White Label whiskey and a Russian salad. The bills Aidas racked up varied from €15 ($15) to €70 ($73) euros, depending on the degree of gastronomic indulgence.
One restaurant manager even managed to capture Aidas in the act, sharing his incriminating photo with fellow restaurant owners to warn them of his scheme. “We’ve all received a warning with his photo telling us to be careful and not serve him anything,” said an employee from “Sale&Pepe” restaurant.
Very good acting
Aidas’s feigned heart attacks were so convincing that he received actual medical attention on some occasions. Despite the warning from vigilant restaurant owners, he attempted the same stunt at the same restaurants, only to be sternly rebuked.
This daring dine-and-dash artist managed to evade serious legal consequences for a time, facing 20 arrests but being released promptly as his crimes were considered ‘minor.’ Each unpaid restaurant bill amounted to a relatively small sum. However, when the collective total of his escapades reached a staggering €766 ($800), the gravity of his actions became undeniable.
Dine-and-dash escapades end
It wasn’t until Aidas faced a more substantial sentence that his audacious stint came to an end. He was ordered to spend at least 22 days behind bars for failing to pay two fines related to his dine-and-dash escapades.
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The photo above is from Unsplash