More Than 100 Diners Skip Out On A Restaurant Bill — In A Conga Line

Last month more than 100 people, who said they were celebrating a baptism, sat down to a banquet at a restaurant in Spain. Afterward, they formed a conga line and danced out without paying.

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

An arrest has been made by Spanish police in the great conga line caper. Late last month, more than 100 people who said they were celebrating a baptism sat down to a banquet at the Hotel Karmen restaurant in Bembibre in northern Spain. The vino flowed freely - 30 bottles according to reports. The group had appetizers and entrees. As restaurant staff prepared to serve dessert and coffee, the merry celebrants got up to dance in a conga line and danced out of the restaurant and into the night. They danced out on an unpaid bill of about 3,000 euros.

The Diario de Leon newspaper says that police have arrested a Romanian man who posed as the godfather of the supposedly baptized child. That man is also now suspected of plotting the same scheme on another restaurant 10 miles away. The counterfit conga dancer paid a 900 euro deposit, so the theft amounts to a little over $2,000. There are no reports that diners left a tip. If they had, it might have been a note to say Romanians aren't known for conga lines.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CONGA")

GLORIA ESTEFAN: (Singing) Come on, shake your body. Baby, do the conga.

SIMON: Reminds me of BJ Leiderman, who does our theme music.

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