A total of 21 cemeteries in the province of Toledo have suffered thefts worth a total of 450,000 euros. So far the Guardia Civil have managed to recuperate 2.200 kilos of ornamental pieces, mostly made out of bronze.

Police operation Crucix not only recovered these stolen items but also resulted in the arrest of a man and a woman and charged them with 27 counts of forced-entry burglary.

Another three women in Humanes, Madrid, were arrested for receiving stolen goods

It was in February that Operación Crucix was put into motion in response to a growing sense of alarm because of this spate of thefts causing not only economic loss for the victims but also considerable upset.

According to the Guardia Civil, the suspects gained access to the cemeteries using a ladder to scale the walls in a section with little visibility.

The police also noticed that the type of ornament removed (crucifixes, saint & virgen effigies and candle holders, etc.) all corresponded to the same characteristics; i.e.,the material used.

The investigation involved stake outs in several cemeteries, as well as inspections carried out in scrapyards and recycling plants. In one of these plants in Humanes the Guardia Civil uncovered numerous stolen figures with a combined weight of 700kg. Unfortunately, they had all been cut into pieces with a disc cutter.

In the town of Guadamur, officers recovered another 100 bronze, ornamental objects in the backyard of a house, 70 of which had already been reduced to pieces ready for sale with a total weight of 1,500kg

(News: Toledo, Castilla La Mancha – Photo & info: Benemérita Al Día)