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 AFP,
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.