All those involved are residents of Villafranca de los Barros, and the value of the stolen goods amounts to approximately 30,000 euros.
According to various media reports, the actions are part of Operation Hemeritagium, launched last year after a series of thefts were detected inside churches and chapels in both provinces.
The alleged perpetrators took advantage of opening hours or times of lower attendance to access the places of worship.
Once inside, they tampered with the alms boxes and lamp holders to steal cash and seized the jewelry that adorned the religious images.
The value of the stolen goods is around 30,000 euros. The amount of damage caused to the churches remains pending expert assessment.
Five arrested and three under investigation
In early September, an wave of thefts against religious heritage in Badajoz had already been reported, following several break-ins at churches within a few days.
The inspections carried out at the affected sites and subsequent investigations allowed officers to link the incidents to a group of residents from Villafranca de los Barros who had prior records for similar thefts.
In mid-September, four people were arrested and three others investigated. The fifth arrest took place this Tuesday, after officers attributed direct involvement in the same incidents to the detainee.
The Civil Guard has so far solved seven counts of theft and one of damage to historical heritage committed in churches and chapels in Feria, Los Santos de Maimona, Fregenal de la Sierra, and Puebla de Alcocer, in the province of Badajoz, and in El Saucejo, in Seville.
The proceedings and the alleged perpetrators have been placed at the disposal of the Civil and Investigating Section of the Court of First Instance of Villafranca de los Barros, and for the time being, the investigation remains open due to the possibility that those involved may be connected to other similar incidents recently recorded in churches in the province.
In response to the wave of thefts recorded in September, the Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz asked parish priests and abbesses to reinforce the security of churches and convents, to maximize protection of crowns, jewelry, chalices, and other valuable objects, and to review alarm systems, cameras, and access points.
The archdiocese also reminded that “all the Church’s cultural heritage is born of faith and the will of the faithful” and urged that any theft be reported immediately to the Civil Guard.