"The Civil Guard ... has arrested two people for committing at least 93 robberies in churches in up to 82 different towns in Cantabria, Asturias and Palencia," the ministry said in a statement.
The robberies targeted money contributed to the churches by worshipers, according to the statement. The first robberies were committed as early as last December in various churches in Cantabria, the ministry said.
A house search conducted by the police resulted in the discovery of 140 religious items, including images, cases with oils, small chests with keys to the tabernacles and reliquaries, according to the statement. The police also found coins of small denomination taken from the churches' alms chests and donation boxes, the ministry added.
The perpetrators also reportedly owned various tools that could be used in robberies, such as crowbars of different sizes, a hydraulic jack, screwdrivers, pliers, and a night-vision device.