News / Europe

Poland Eyes Swedish Suspects in Auschwitz Sign Theft

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Polish prosecutors say they want to question three people in Sweden about last month's theft of the Nazi sign at the former Auschwitz death camp.

Prosecutor Artur Wrona said Wednesday that two of the individuals are considered suspects in the crime. One of the men is suspected of masterminding the theft, while the other is believed to have provided the thieves with a getaway car.

The prosecutor said Polish authorities have asked Sweden to confirm the suspects' identities. He said there is enough evidence to charge one of them, and possibly both.

He said media speculation that the suspects are neo-Nazis has not been confirmed.

Polish police arrested five Polish men just days after the sign was stolen from what is now the Auschwitz museum. They also recovered the sign, which had been cut into three pieces.

Sweden said Tuesday that it had received a request from Poland to investigate the theft of the sign, which reads in German, "Arbeit macht frei" - meaning "work will set you free."  More than one million people, most of them Jews, died at Auschwitz.

Police say the five Polish suspects in custody range in age from 20 to 39 and have criminal records.  Charged with theft and damage, they face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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