Overview
- The marble Baroque image of the Virgen del Buen Suceso, stolen in October from Fuente del Maestre, was identified by the parish priest and returned to the chapel.
- Three residents of Villafranca de los Barros—a father, mother and son—were detained in early January and presented to the local court on theft and alleged fraud charges.
- The recovery was carried out under Operation Virgo25, coordinating inquiries between Zafra and San Lorenzo del Escorial.
- A buyer’s complaint about virgin figures purchased via a WhatsApp contact tied to collector websites helped locate the statue in Madrid.
- Guardia Civil reports the investigation remains open to determine whether the suspects are linked to additional religious-object thefts offered online.