Dilip Kuner
POLICE are hunting for thieves who made off with a staggering €200,000 worth of prized Christmas ham.
Some 400 legs of the nation’s finest Iberian acorn-fed ham – a delicacy with a Protected Designation of Origin seal – were stolen from a family-run business in southern Andalucia. The ham, known for its melt-in-your-mouth taste, was set to be served on festive tables worldwide, but now it’s vanished.
The ham-burglars struck the Jamones Eíriz factory in Corteconcepción, a sleepy mountain village in Huelva.
A third of the producer’s entire stock was swiped, sending shockwaves through the small, close-knit community.
Police believe five people were involved in the heist, and some are even whispering that it could have been an inside job.
Domingo Eíriz, whose family has run the business since 1818, revealed the moment he discovered the crime. Speaking to Antena 3, he said he was alerted by a worker who asked, “Domingo, where are the hams, have you taken them?” What he found was shocking – 400 legs of ham gone, each worth over €500.
“This is not just about money, it’s the destruction of years of work,” Eíriz fumed. “They knew exactly what they were doing and they did it at the worst time possible – right before Christmas.”
Despite the family’s best efforts to keep their operation secure, the stolen meat was stored in an unusual location to have labels put on, sparking suspicions of insider involvement.
Jamones Eíriz is a small business with only 20 employees, eight of whom are family members.
