Spanish police have arrested seven people suspected of stealing more than 1110 chairs from restaurants and bars in Madrid and a nearby municipality over two months.
Redaksiya reports that the criminal gang, consisting of six men and one woman, worked at night to steal chairs stacked in outdoor seating areas while the establishments were closed. According to the Spanish National Police, at least 18 different establishments were targeted in August and September in Madrid and Talavera de la Reina, a small city southwest of the capital.
According to law enforcement officials, the estimated value of the stolen chairs is approximately 60,000 euros. The suspects face charges of theft and belonging to a criminal organization. According to the police, the chairs were sold not only in Spain but also in Morocco and Romania. According to reports in local media, the investigation began after several complaints from restaurant owners about fewer chairs remaining than had been stacked the previous night. In Spain, many restaurants and bars typically keep tables and chairs, usually made of metal or hard plastic, outdoors overnight. The chairs are usually stacked and chained together.