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Police investigate break-in at FIFA World Cup headquarters

Other News Materials 29 June 2010 14:48 (UTC +04:00)
Police have launched an investigation into a break-in at FIFA World Cup headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa's police chief said Tuesday.
Police investigate break-in at FIFA World Cup headquarters

Police have launched an investigation into a break-in at FIFA World Cup headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa's police chief said Tuesday, DPA reported.

"Yes, we know there was a burglary there. We're looking into it," said General Bheki Cele, National Commissioner of the South African Police Service.

"Seven World Cup trophy replicas and two sweaters were stolen from the office. We want to believe that this was carried out by people very familiar with the FIFA office," he said.

Cele confirmed that a total of 316 persons have been arrested in connection with World Cup-related crimes, mainly theft of mobile phones, cameras and laptops.

Some 207 of those detained are South Africans, eight are British citizens, nine Algerians, 11 Ethiopians, seven Nigerians and six each from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and the United States.

Another 33 persons have been arrested for ticket touting.

South Africa have deployed 44,000 policemen for World Cup duty. Cele said his men have been "providing a stable and peaceful environment and pushing back the frontiers of evil".

The police chief also dismissed reports that additional foreign police was needed for the high-profile Round of 16 match between England and Germany.

"There was no extra foreign police for this game. We only had seven policemen from Germany and nine from the United Kingdom," he said.

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