German politician caught stealing toilet paper

Apr 14, 2011 |

Berlin

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A German politician has been caught short after janitors collared him red-handed pilfering toilet roll from the gents in the town hall during a sting operation, authorities said on Wednesday.

Janitors' suspicions were raised when more than 200 rolls vanished and they laid a trap for Frank-Michael John, 24, a member of the far-left Die Linke party in the regional council of Stralsund, northern Germany.

They discovered him exiting the toilet with one roll in his hand and another in a backpack, according to several media.

"We are investigating the theft of several low-value items," Ralf Lechte, from the Stralsund prosecutors' office, told the media, confirming the media reports.

As the town hall buys toilet paper in bulk, the total value of the suspected theft is unlikely to amount to more than a few hundred euros (dollars), he added.

"Whether charges are pressed will depend on the perpetrator and whether he has previous offences," Lechte added.

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