Orihuela Fruit Theft Gang Nabbed

Two Moroccan fruit rustlers were caught orange-handed when they were caught by Torrevieja-based Guardia Civil officers loading the stolen goods into a couple of vans in the Orihuela area.

The men, aged in their twenties, fled in one of their vehicles and were chased by the Guardia, who quickly blocked them off, with the Moroccans then violently assaulting the officers as they tried to resist arrest.

The duo are said to be resonsible for stealing at least five tons of oranges and kept the stash hidden in some bushes, before planning to distribute them. One and half tons were taken from a Murcia region farm at Abanilla, with the farmer having his harvest brought back to him by the Guardia.