Aidas J., a 50-year-old Lithuanian known to authorities for frequent run-ins with the law, has a long history of petty crime and public disturbance in Alicante. His pattern of short sentences and repeated offenses has drawn media attention and earned him the nickname gastrojeta. At the end of September, he served 42 days at Fontnivel to address unpaid fines tied to prior theft and fraud convictions. Earlier this week, he committed another offense, this time in a supermarket rather than a restaurant. National Police detained him Sunday for shoplifting, and after a judge released him Monday, he was arrested again for a similar theft. The combined value of both thefts is under 50 euros, consisting of a bottle of bourbon priced at 28 euros and additional items worth 6.69 euros, according to police sources.
Gastrojeta, who was released this Tuesday following the judicial verdict and for missing the speedy trial, has resurfaced in Alicante as the holiday season approaches. Police are not ruling out the possibility of a renewed theft attempt. His notoriety stems from a lengthy record, with more than 20 arrests since November 2022.
bourbon bottle
Distinct from the so-called simpas described in dining venues, the two most recent arrests arose from small-scale thefts at supermarkets. In these cases, he was evacuated by ambulance and unpaid bills were noted. The first incident occurred around three in the afternoon last Sunday at a store in Alicante. Gastrojeta entered the supermarket, moved toward the storage area, and security identified a bottle of bourbon valued at 28.10 euros as stolen. A security guard stopped him as he exited the self-checkout area, and after authorities confirmed the concealment, police were summoned and he was taken into custody.
He returned to criminal activity roughly 24 hours after his release. Shortly before three o’clock on Monday, he was arrested again at a supermarket near Gabriel Miró Square. On this occasion, he had prior thefts linked to items valued around 100 euros, including shrimp and other goods totaling 6.69 euros. He was stopped after passing through the checkout vault, staff reported the theft, and police arrived. He argued with staff and admitted removing items from his clothing after officers entered the store.
With nowhere else to go, he was transferred to a regional police facility for processing. On Tuesday he appeared in court and faced petty theft charges. Gastrojeta asserted that he intended to pay for the goods once money became available, but prosecutors did not file charges after the supermarket’s legal representative failed to appear. He was released, and police remain vigilant about the possibility of future offenses.