In Spain it is called a ‘simpa’, which refers to eat in a restaurant and leave without paying the bill. A British man and five women were arrested in Ibiza after refusing to pay a restaurant bill totalling €12,291. The incident occurred last Thursday night at an upscale restaurant on the island.
The 77-year-old British man, accompanied by five women aged between 24 and 39, claimed according to Diario de Mallorca that their meal had been paid for by a seventh person who had left the restaurant shortly before the bill arrived. The women were of Argentinian, Greek, and Polish origin.
Restaurant’s response
When the group refused to settle the bill, the restaurant staff contacted the National Police. Upon arrival, the officers interviewed the restaurant employees, who recounted the diners’ claim that the missing individual had reserved their table and invited them.
Police intervention
Despite repeated assertions from the group that they were not responsible for the bill, the police grew suspicious of their story. Believing it to be a tactic to evade payment, the officers arrested all six individuals on suspicion of fraud. They have each been charged with one count of fraud.
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