Soldiers Stole Credit Cards of Plane Crash Dead

And actually used them, forcing Russians to apologize to Poles
By Caroline Miller,  Newser Staff
Suggested by Disillusioned
Posted Jun 8, 2010 11:26 AM CDT
Soldiers Stole Credit Cards of Plane Crash Dead
In this file photo dated Tuesday, April 13, 2010, Russian and Polish investigators work near the wreckage of the plane in which Polish President Kaczynski died.   (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, file)

Four not-too-bright Russian soldiers have been charged with stealing credit cards from the dead body of a prominent historian who had been part of Polish President Lech Kaczynski's entourage when his plane crashed in April, killing the president and 95 others. The soldiers, who were supposed to be securing the crash site at the Smolensk airport, then used the cards to withdraw almost $3,000—over the next three days, the BBC reports.

Russia had originally denied the allegations, but now says it will pay compensation if the four are found guilty. Three of the four had previous criminal records, the prosecutor said, and the soldiers are said to have confessed.
(More Lech Kaczynski stories.)

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