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Thieves back at Auschwitz to re-enact crime
Source: Agencies |
December 23, 2009, Wednesday
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THREE men who confessed to the brazen theft of the infamous "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Sets You Free") sign from the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz yesterday re-enacted the event for investigators who said the crime might have been commissioned.
Polish media reported that a person living in Sweden could be under suspicion.
Krakow police spokesman Dariusz Nowak did not say why investigators were looking at the possibility of the theft being organized, but said that "indeed it looks like someone is behind it."
Nowak said foreign police had been notified and were working on the case but refused to elaborate. Krakow is 80 kilometers from the Auschwitz museum.
Police found the sign on Sunday - cut into three pieces and hidden under snow in the woods - and arrested five suspects in northern Poland. Officials said three of the five men have confessed to Friday's pre-dawn theft of the sign, a symbol of Nazi Germany atrocities during World War II.
Prosecutor Piotr Kosmaty said the three who had confessed were taken back to Auschwitz to show investigators how they unscrewed and tore the sign, which weighs 30 kilograms, and is 5 meters long, from the gateposts.
Kosmaty said the re-enactment gave police some insights, but did not elaborate. He said the two other men had denied any involvement and denied being at Auschwitz.
In Krakow, police displayed the broken sign for journalists. It was cut into three parts, with each part bearing one of the words. Some of the steel pipe that formed its outline was bent and the letter "i" was missing from the word "Frei" because it had been left behind during the theft.
Police forensics expert Lidia Puchacz said that cutting tools used in the theft were found at the home of one of the suspects.
She said experts will be analyzing the sign "millimeter by millimeter" for clues as to how it was cut up and by whom.
Prosecutors will decide when the sign can be returned and whether it will be back for January 27 ceremonies marking Auschwitz's liberation by Soviet troops.
For now, an exact replica of the sign hangs in its place.
Polish media reported that a person living in Sweden could be under suspicion.
Krakow police spokesman Dariusz Nowak did not say why investigators were looking at the possibility of the theft being organized, but said that "indeed it looks like someone is behind it."
Nowak said foreign police had been notified and were working on the case but refused to elaborate. Krakow is 80 kilometers from the Auschwitz museum.
Police found the sign on Sunday - cut into three pieces and hidden under snow in the woods - and arrested five suspects in northern Poland. Officials said three of the five men have confessed to Friday's pre-dawn theft of the sign, a symbol of Nazi Germany atrocities during World War II.
Prosecutor Piotr Kosmaty said the three who had confessed were taken back to Auschwitz to show investigators how they unscrewed and tore the sign, which weighs 30 kilograms, and is 5 meters long, from the gateposts.
Kosmaty said the re-enactment gave police some insights, but did not elaborate. He said the two other men had denied any involvement and denied being at Auschwitz.
In Krakow, police displayed the broken sign for journalists. It was cut into three parts, with each part bearing one of the words. Some of the steel pipe that formed its outline was bent and the letter "i" was missing from the word "Frei" because it had been left behind during the theft.
Police forensics expert Lidia Puchacz said that cutting tools used in the theft were found at the home of one of the suspects.
She said experts will be analyzing the sign "millimeter by millimeter" for clues as to how it was cut up and by whom.
Prosecutors will decide when the sign can be returned and whether it will be back for January 27 ceremonies marking Auschwitz's liberation by Soviet troops.
For now, an exact replica of the sign hangs in its place.
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