First of all, if you weren't sure, un lebrillo is a large, glazed, terracotta bowl, usually with hand-painted designs on them.

Having established what we’re talking about, on with the article: the Guardia Civil have busted a gang, specialised in nicking antique, ceramic pottery from houses in the provinces. Is nothing sacred?

The police collared four individuals, aged between 21 and 66, all of whom are no strangers to the inside of a police station. They are thought to have carried out at least four burglaries.

The police launched Operación Lebricer, after they became aware of an increase in this kind of theft, above all lebrillos made in the Granada Fajaluza design, which you can see adorning patios. One of these can fetch up to 1,000 euros a piece.

Now, the burglars don’t operate in the midst of night but in the heat of the afternoon when blinds are down to keep the heat out and occupants are inside dozing. In other words, when their ornate patios are left unattended. Two thieves would enter and grab what they could whilst another waited outside in a car with the engine running.

Examining security footage of nearby premises, the police identified a suspicious car (it was wearing a false beard – just joking!) belonging to a known bad lad from Fuente Vaqueros. This same vehicle had been seen in Lecrín and Melegís where similar thefts had taken place, as well as in Cájar and Órgiva.

Following the arrest of the first suspect, the police recuperated seven lebrillos and an amphora, which came from targeted properties in Monachil, Lecrín y Melegís-El Valle.

One of the first such burglaries was on the 16th of August in Monachil, where thieves had scaled a wall and nabbed a lebrillo from the 1950s, valued at 1,000 euracos.

(News/Noticias: Monachil/Meligís, Valle de Lecrin, Granada, Andalucia)