TWO men in their 20s have been arrested in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for stealing a coffin out of the back of a parked hearse.
A witness saw them carrying it along the Paseo San José and called the police, who notified the funeral directors.
One of their employees accompanied officers on their search after finding that a briefcase containing makeup used in the embalming process had been taken along with the coffin.
Police went round to a home they believed to be occupied by one of the men, who turned out to be in and admitted to the theft.
Both the coffin, which was empty, and the briefcase, said to be worth around €1,500, were returned to the funeral parlour.
Three hours later, whilst hunting for the second thief, National Police were called by a witness who had spotted a young man 'in a very agitated state' and 'kicking and punching parked cars'.
This same witness said the young man and a female friend had threatened to kill him as a 'grass' over the stolen coffin.
Police seized three large knives of around eight to 10 inches (20 to 23 centimetres) long.
The two arrested men are aged 24 and 26 and have existing criminal records, although their motive for stealing the coffin and briefcase is not known.
A MAN declared dead at his home in the province of Tarragona was on his way to the funeral parlour when he turned out to be alive, according to police sources.
A NEW child protection law named after a British musician living in Spain has been approved in Congress and is set to be signed off by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, June 8.
