Poland issues European warrant for Swede suspected in theft of Auschwitz sign

Poland seeks arrest of Swede in Auschwitz theft

WARSAW, Poland — A Polish court says it has issued a European Union arrest warrant for a Swedish citizen suspected of involvement in the theft of the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign at Auschwitz.

Rafal Lisak, spokesman for Krakow’s district court, says the warrant was issued Tuesday for Anders Hogstrom, a Swede suspected of incitement to commit theft of a cultural treasure.

The sign, German for “Work Sets You Free,” was stolen from the site of the former Auschwitz death camp in southern Poland in December. Polish police found it three days later, cut into three pieces, and charged five Polish men with its theft.

Lisak did not give any further details but Polish prosecutors have previously identified Hogstrom as the mastermind of the theft.