Man tries to steal Ale-Hop cow, but herded off by security

Lots of customers of the Mediterranean gift-shop chain have either bragged about how 'one day' they will make off with the trademark black-and-white cow in the doorway of every branch – even though they would never actually do so – or said they would buy it if they won the lottery.

In fact, the farm animal statues are worth €3,000, so a small-ish El Gordo win this Christmas would be enough – were it not for the trivial fact that the cows are not for sale.

The man who tried to pinch the cow outside the Playa de Palma store had been working on his rustling mission for two days before the attempt – CCTV footage examined later showed he had been gradually loosening the security fastenings to make it easier to run off with his quarry.

He then returned to the shop in the early hours of a Monday morning, unleashed her and tried to sneak off.

It would have been difficult enough to avoid arousing attention whilst walking down the street leading a stolen plastic cow as big as the real animal, but he had not bargained for security guards still being on the premises in the dead of night.

After a pursuit on foot, the thief found himself surrounded, released the cow and fled.

He is said to be well-known to shop and hotel staff on Palma beach, and to have a long criminal record behind him with arrests for burglary, mugging, hold-ups, shoplifting, wilful damage, and threats.

This meant it was not hard for police to trace him and he was finally arrested earlier this week, about a fortnight after the thwarted livestock theft.

The cow, meanwhile, was returned to her station outside the store and chained up again.

Photograph: A branch of Ale-Hop with its famous cow in the doorway, from Facebook