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Two British teenagers arrested over Auschwitz theft | Two British teenagers arrested over Auschwitz theft |
(33 minutes later) | |
Two British teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of stealing artefacts from the former Auschwitz death camp, police in Krakow have said. | Two British teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of stealing artefacts from the former Auschwitz death camp, police in Krakow have said. |
The unnamed pair were held by guards at the site, now a museum, on Monday and are in custody, police told AFP. | The unnamed pair were held by guards at the site, now a museum, on Monday and are in custody, police told AFP. |
They took artefacts belonging to prisoners held there during World War Two, including buttons and pieces of glass, a museum spokesman told AFP. | They took artefacts belonging to prisoners held there during World War Two, including buttons and pieces of glass, a museum spokesman told AFP. |
The UK Foreign Office confirmed two British nationals had been arrested. | The UK Foreign Office confirmed two British nationals had been arrested. |
"We are in contact with the Polish authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance," a spokeswoman said. | "We are in contact with the Polish authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance," a spokeswoman said. |
If found guilty the teenagers could face up to 10 years in prison, local police said. | If found guilty the teenagers could face up to 10 years in prison, local police said. |
The pair were spotted acting suspiciously near a building where Nazi German guards had stored prisoners' confiscated belongings, a spokesman for the museum told Reuters news agency. | |
The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was founded in 1947 and has more than 80,000 British visitors each year. | The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was founded in 1947 and has more than 80,000 British visitors each year. |
Curators say some visitors try to take artefacts as souvenirs. | |
In 2010, a Swedish man was jailed for plotting the theft of the "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work sets you free") sign from the entry gate of the Auschwitz site. | In 2010, a Swedish man was jailed for plotting the theft of the "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work sets you free") sign from the entry gate of the Auschwitz site. |
Auschwitz-Birkenau, located near the city of Krakow in southern Poland, was the largest camp established by the Germans during World War Two. | Auschwitz-Birkenau, located near the city of Krakow in southern Poland, was the largest camp established by the Germans during World War Two. |
Some 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were killed there between 1940 and 1945, when Soviet troops liberated it. | Some 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were killed there between 1940 and 1945, when Soviet troops liberated it. |
Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp | |
Life in the city of Auschwitz |