[Fwd: Thieves add insult to robbed England squad]

By Beauregard Tromp

The defeated England team will be able to return home with their
underwear and a Fifa gold medal - if not their dignity - following their
embarrassing loss to Germany.

The England team were bundled out of the World Cup on Saturday when
Germany beat them 4-1 - and were robbed of a goal by the ref.

And while the likes of Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard tried their best
to salvage their battered reputations, staff at their Rustenburg hotel
were rifling through the players' designer label closets, helping
themselves to briefs and boxers and a selection of other items.

Whereas the hordes of English supporters refused to see the writing on
the wall for their team, the cleaners at the state-of-the-art Royal
Bafokeng Sports Palace, where the team were based, seemed to see their
opportunity fading before their eyes.

With the team having drawn two games and facing the prospect of not
proceeding past the group stage and going home, the cleaning staff at
the Royal Marang Hotel started their spree, collecting nearly R80 000
worth of clothes, personal belongings and ?485 (R5 530) in cash.

"They started on June 21 and stole things until June 25," said North
West police Colonel Junior Metsi.

Police have been asked not to reveal the names of the players who had
goods stolen, but The Star has been reliably informed that items were
stolen from virtually every member of the squad.

It seems the English team started missing their jocks only after four
days, with a case of theft opened with the police on Saturday.

In less than 24 hours, Thulane Fortunate Mongake, 26, Ernest Zimisile
Klaas, 28, Thapelo Joseph Senne, 21, Basimane Levy Njielane, 34, and
Catherine Motsilanyane, 28, were arrested, tried and sentenced to three
years or a fine of R6 000 in the Tlhabane World Cup court.

All the stolen items were returned, among them a gold World Cup winners'
medal.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on June 29,
2010