Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Samoa police investigate bedding thefts from Games venues

Posted at 22:16 on 09 October, 2007 UTC

The police in Samoa have found at least 34 mattresses and 3 beds stolen from the seven venues where five thousand athletes were accommodated during the recent South Pacific Games.

Five other matresses are believed to have been taken to Tuvalu and cannot be recovered.

Police say more than 80 of the 4 thousand mattresses and 42 of the 2 thousand beds bought for the athletes are missing

Some of the mattresses and beds were found to have been sold to local households.

The government and the South Pacific Games Authority had planned to auction the sleeping gear to the public but that has now been put on hold until police inquiries are completed.