This seat taken? Group accused of stealing over 1,000 restaurant chairs

Spanish police have arrested seven people after 1,100 chairs went missing from bars

Spanish police have dismantled an alleged criminal operation, arresting seven people suspected of pilfering over 1,100 chairs from outdoor restaurant and bar terraces.

The National Police confirmed on Wednesday that the thefts occurred across Madrid and a neighbouring municipality over a two-month period.

The group of six men and a woman allegedly worked at night to pilfer the chairs from 18 different establishments in Madrid and Talavera de la Reina, a smaller city to the southwest of the capital, in August and September.

The estimated impact of the stolen property was around €60,000 (US$69,000), according to police.

The suspects, who face charges of theft and belonging to a criminal organisation, resold the chairs in Spain but also in Morocco and Romania, police said.

Customers sit at tables and chairs in Girona, Spain (AP)

In Spain, many restaurants and bars leave tables and chairs, which are usually made of metal or hard plastic, outdoors during the night.

The chairs will normally be kept in stacks and chained down.