Silver chalices recovered after theft from church in Costa del Sol Spain

THREE people have been arrested after a priest at the Iglesias Santo Cristo in Marbella informed the National Police of the theft of three silver chalices worth €1,500.

In addition, four hams were stolen from an adjacent food store operated by Caritas at the same time.

Officers were on the look-out for these important religious items and quickly found them in a second hand shop.

Having discovered who had sold the items, they quickly arrested them and on searching the car believed to have been used to transport the items, they found the hams in the boot.

The three arrested included a 35-year-old Spaniard who is believed to have actually carried out the theft and his two accomplices, one Spanish and the other Colombian who allegedly assisted in the transport and sale of the items.

Also confiscated was €780 in cash, a passport not belonging to any of the men and a mobile phone.