# Spanish hat thieves **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 17, 2021, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847 "2021-09-17T22:32:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/1 "2021-09-17T22:32:08Z")
There is a video game server in Spain named, “Hat Thieves”. Does that phrase have some particular meaning in Spain? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/2 "2021-09-17T23:09:17Z")
I have an extremely inappropriate joke response, which I will hold onto until the question is answered. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/3 "2021-09-18T00:34:29Z")
I’ve been told by a Spanish speaker that there is a novel entitled “Hat Thieves”. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/4 "2021-09-18T00:34:59Z")
Yeah, when pigs fly. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2022, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/5 "2022-09-04T13:22:25Z")
We have waited long enough. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/6 "2022-09-04T18:28:46Z")
Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2022, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/7 "2022-09-05T16:19:28Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > We have waited long enough. Alas, I have forgotten what it was. Shoot me, I’m old. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/8 "2022-09-05T18:24:43Z")
Aw, man! ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/9 "2022-09-06T00:08:30Z")
Let’s look on the bright side. Maybe someone will open a time travel thread about the hat thieves, and we can figure out the joke from there. (Or should that be from then?) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/10 "2022-09-06T00:26:19Z")
A number of slang terms for _condom_ in Spanish-speaking countries translate to “hat”, “little hat”, etc. I can’t quite convert this into a joke, but it seems like a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/11 "2022-09-06T00:38:07Z")
Not a joke if you are a party to the loss. Dan ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/12 "2022-09-06T10:00:59Z")
French as well. I was once told a French joke about an Englishman who goes into a shop to buy a black hat but says "Ma femme est morte. Je veux une capote noire’ “Ah Monsieur! Quelle delicatesse!” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/13 "2022-09-06T10:15:16Z")
“I think he stole that sombrero.” “What makes you say that?” “…looks shady.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/14 "2022-09-06T13:22:10Z")
You have saved the thread, Sir! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/15 "2022-09-06T17:21:16Z")
Good one! ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/16 "2022-09-06T17:26:46Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Alas, I have forgotten what it was. Shoot me, I’m old. Never peak my curiosity like that and then leave me hanging! Bad Roderick! 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2022, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/17 "2022-09-06T17:51:41Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Alas, I have forgotten what it was. Shoot me, I’m old. (In soup Nazi voice): No hat for You! (then steals it off your head). No one expects the Spanish hat thieves! ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2022, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/18 "2022-09-07T01:21:26Z")
Where is @oft_wears_hats when he’s needed? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2022, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spanish-hat-thieves/950847/19 "2022-09-07T12:01:00Z")
Vacationing in Spain?