An ambitious thief has been caught trying to steal 10 legs of cured jamon from a supermarket in Malaga province.
The ham-fisted suspect went on a frenzied smash and grab inside a Mercadona in Coin, a small town situated around a 20-minute drive inland from Marbella.
According to the Unified Association of Guardia Civil Officers (AUGC) in Malaga, he broke into the supermarket by smashing a glass panel.
Officers responding to the alarm were able to frustrate the theft and recover the goods, which included:
- 10 Iberian ‘pata negra’ hams, valued at around €250 each
- 10 cured loin bars
- 33 bars of nougat
- Other food products prepared for the Christmas period
The total value of the recovered items is estimated at more than €2,500.
The man was arrested on suspicion of robbery with force and the stolen goods were returned to the store.
The AUGC praised the officers from the Citizen Security Unit at Coin’s main Guardia Civil post, highlighting their swift response despite what the association described as staff shortages, limited resources and a lack of shift coverage.
According to the AUGC’s account, once inside the supermarket the suspect began gathering the high-value items before the alarm was triggered, prompting an immediate police response that led to his arrest and the recovery of the merchandise.
