WEST OCEAN CITY, Md.- A local Hooter's is the latest victim of a dine and dash crime. The elaborate scheme was pulled off by a man using a decoy cellphone.
The West Ocean City restaurant says the man ordered drinks and food, racking up a $70 tab for his roughly two-hour stay. According to the bartender, Carlie, who was serving him at the time, he took several smoke breaks and bathroom trips.
What caused the most confusion was when the man left his phone on the bar. The bartender said she thought he would be back to claim it. The more time that passed, the more concerned she grew.
She said she was shocked that something like this happened on her watch.
"I was like, 'Did this really just happen', and he was like, 'I think it did.' And I went in the back and was like, 'Please tell me this is a joke,' but it's not," she said.
The man was caught on surveillance footage on the patio of the restaurant. You can see him making a call on the decoy cellphone for about five minutes before he comes back inside.
Hooter's Director of Operations Matt Ortt said this is something that the restaurant unfortunately sees a lot of, especially during the summer season.
"Being in the restaurant business for 30-plus years, and knowing so many other restaurant people in the town, it's happening over and over and over again," Ortt said.
Hooter's did not report the incident to police. However, the manager that was on duty at the time took to Facebook to get the word out. Her inital post now has over 500 shares.
