German police are sorting through more than 20 tonnes of office supplies allegedly taken home from work over decades by a Stuttgart council employee.
The retired caretaker, 69, admitted the thefts but gave no explanation of why he took items ranging from pencil sharpeners to detergent and office ladders.
He stored them all in his apartment, basement, attic storage space and a garden shed. Police took away several truckloads of supplies and said the items would be returned to the city of Stuttgart after they had been listed.
The man, who retired in 2007, had had access to many of the city offices. He had not tried to sell the goods, police said.
An anonymous tip-off alerted Stuttgart authorities to the loss.
Office theft prevalent
According to a recent study in the US, 75 per cent of employees steal stationery from their employers.
Pens and post-it notes are the most commonly pilfered items according to the study commissioned by media company Vault.
Employee theft also includes more extravagant items such as laptops and office chairs.
