A well-known figure who often sports a Los Angeles Lakers sweatshirt returned to the Alicante courts this Thursday after another arrest by the National Police. He had briefly been released during holidays, but a quick hearing led to a ten-day prison stay because of a prior conviction. In this latest episode, he did not resist paying as he sometimes did before, yet his conduct during a meal drew attention again as he ate paella with his hands and interrupted other diners.
Aidas J., a Lithuanian now 51, has already accumulated 27 arrests with the National Police since late 2022. Most episodes involve restaurant and cafe fraud, where he would refuse to pay and pretend to faint to be escorted out by ambulance.
Hoteliers in Alicante report a calmer atmosphere since his move to Benidorm at the end of last year, a shift that coincided with four arrests in January. The gastrojeta impression lingers: it seems he feels more at ease in Alicante, and shopkeepers and staff are urged to stay alert. The same pattern of excessive eating and drinking is noted, along with several arrests for shoplifting at supermarkets and other stores.
Theft in the supermarket
The return to prison followed a conviction for theft involving goods valued at 100,000 lira and 120 euros found inside an Alicante supermarket. He was fined, and the court for Instruction No. 9 of Alicante decided yesterday to place him in prison for ten days due to his failure to pay the fine. This report comes from the National Police.
In a rapid sequence of events, Lithuanian Aidas J. faced a swift misdemeanor-fraud hearing at Instruction Court No. 6 of Alicante. The owner of a Plaza España restaurant near the Alicante Arena testified that the defendant left an unpaid bill of 37.99 euros. The gastrojeta claimed he had funds to settle the amount and offered a vague excuse about being intoxicated and not remembering recent events, including a supposed encounter with a police officer. After indicating to the magistrate and the prosecutor that payment would be made, the Public Ministry pushed for immediate settlement. He was fined 540 euros and ordered to pay the 37.99 euros owed. This account reflects local court records and police statements.
Photographs from the trial show the gastrojeta in the Alicante Palace of Justice on Thursday. The caption notes the setting and the moment of the proceedings, as documented in court records.
Neither the restaurant owner nor the staff could identify the diner who entered last Tuesday to eat. The owner described him as looking ordinary and ordering seafood paella and two cubatas. Suspicion arose when the diner began eating with his hands, throwing glasses, and disturbing other patrons. Staff attempted to persuade him to settle the bill, and a concerned customer warned them to stay vigilant. The dining figure was widely discussed in media outlets as a well-known presence associated with repeated incidents. This account is based on court testimony and witness statements.
Unable to pay, the restaurant staff called the National Police. Officers arrived, took the gastrojeta into custody, and he spent two nights in custody before facing formal charges. This sequence is supported by police dispatch records and courtroom notes.