For more than a year, gangs of East Europeans have been steadily stealing copper cabling and farm implements in the Antequera region, operating during the hours of darkness. Now, however, some new groups have started operating in broad daylight and seem not to care who sees them.
On one occasion, a farmer spotted a group who had pulled up in a van and were busy stealing what they could, regardless of the fact that there were workers around. The farmer blocked their path with his tractor. The robbers tried to dislodge him but failed, and he was then able to call the Guardia Civil.
The next day, the robbers returned and robbed the farm next door, first making sure to disable the tractor. The three robbers were arrested a few hours later, but after spending one night in the cells, were released!
The morale of farmers is, not surprisingly, low as they continue to suffer robberies yet the culprits never seem to be fined or jailed. Some farmers have lost thousands of euros worth of equipment, most of which tends not to be insured.