In Madrid and the city of Talavera de la Reina, police carried out an operation against a criminal group specializing in stealing furniture from the summer terraces of cafés and restaurants. Seven people were arrested, including six men and one woman. They are charged with involvement in organized crime and multiple counts of theft.
From August to September last year, the perpetrators targeted 18 establishments, mostly operating at night. During this time, owners would leave chairs outside, stacked and chained together. The criminals broke the locks, loaded the furniture into a van, and quickly fled. The total damage to businesses exceeded 60,000 euros.
The first reports from victims came in August, when restaurant owners discovered their furniture was missing in the morning before opening. It soon became clear that the series of thefts affected not only Madrid, but also neighborhoods in the south of the city and the neighboring region of Toledo. Analyzing similar incidents, police determined they were dealing with a coordinated group operating according to the same scheme.
Particular attention was drawn to the fact that the stolen chairs were not remaining in Spain. The criminals established a sales channel, sending part of the stolen goods to Marruecos and Rumanía. On the night of August 13, the group carried out five thefts in one area of Madrid, which enabled investigators to track them down. After identifying all participants, police detained them in early October and brought charges.
