Family of thieves arrested in Spain for stealing 4,000kg of oranges that filled up 3 vehicles

Oranges spilling out from a car that was stopped by police, after the fruit was stolen from a processing plant in Seville, Spain, on Jan 26, 2018. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

How many oranges can you fit into two cars and a van?

More than 4,000kg of the fruit apparently, after a bunch of thieves in Spain attempted to do just that on Jan 26.

The €1,400 (S$2,277) fruit heist was busted by police in Seville, after crew from a cargo ship docked at a port outside the city reported a mysterious disappearance of the fruit.

As the convoy of a Suzuki sedan, a small station wagon and a van were attempting to flee with their citrusy loot, it came across a police car on routine patrol and abruptly changed direction, according to local media reports.

This aroused the suspicion of the officers, who gave chase, stopped the vehicles and caught the thieves red-handed.

Five people were arrested, comprising a couple, their adult son and two brothers, and will be charged in court for theft.

According to the Evening Standard, the suspects tried to convince the police that they chanced upon the oranges "on the ground" along the way and had picked them up for their own consumption.

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