Civil Guard Apprehend Thieves After Brazen Statue Robbery

Thieves who used a tow rope and car to steal three statues worth EUR 300,000 from a fountain in Spain have been seized by police.

The sculptures, created by one of Spain’s most celebrated artists Manuel Boix, were taken in two raids on a modern fountain in Albalat de la Ribera, in Valencia.

Streetcam CCTV shows the gang as one of them ties a tow rope around one of the figures with the other end lashed to a car.

But as the car moves off, the statue stays put while the tow rope snaps.

Within moments one of the crooks has lashed another rope to the sculpture and tries again as the footage ends.

Police say in one raid on 5th August the gang got away with two of the artworks and returned for the third two days later, on 7th August.

Then, according to local media, they came back again on 12th August to try to steal more statues.

Police say they tracked down the gang the same day after finding the car they had used at a scrap metal yard.

Two suspects aged 50 and 55 were arrested along with a woman who is suspected of keeping watch for them.

It is not known what they planned to do with the statues as they would have been instantly recognisable to any art dealer.

A Civil Guard statement on 14th August obtained by Newsflash said: “Three people arrested for the theft of three statues valued at EUR 300,000.

“The stolen statues were designed by the artist Manuel Boix and are valued between EUR 80,000 and EUR 95,000.”

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