Police harvest chestnut thieves

THE Guardia Civil arrested five people under its anti-agricultural theft campaign in the Ronda hills in September and October.

The arrestees, caught in Igualeja, Pujerra, Cartajima, Parauta and Farajan, are suspected of having stolen almost one tonne of chestnuts during the harvest period.

With an aim to reducing thefts in the sector, increasing security and preventing crime, officers have interviewed a number of farm and warehouse owners and staff and local authorities, leading to the arrests and recovery of many stolen chestnuts, the police force reported. In fact, officers said, citizen collaboration was vital in a number of the theft cases they worked on.

All the Ronda area Guardia Civil units plus members of Seprona, the force’s nature protection branch, the air unit and Malaga’s Citizen’s Security unit were involved in the campaign.