A burglar stole over 40 antique items dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries from a Murcia City workshop-exhibition.
The 40-year-old man even took photos of what he planned to steal in order to drum up pre-sales from unsuspecting buyers.
The Guardia Civil arrested him and recovered artefacts worth around €18,000 from his home as well as from a metal waste company in Murcia.
He plundered the exhibition after breaking in through a window.
The collection was a selection of old workday items owned by a prominent Murcian antiques dealer.
Stolen goods included sewing machines, metal bells, ceramics, and candle-holders in addition to pots and pans.
The thief assured potential purchasers that he was the legitimate owner of the artefacts.
The Guardia Civil targeted him as a suspect due to his past criminal record and the fact that he had antique goods to sell.