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HOWTO: Steal a Beach (Hungarian Style)

The new borderless Europe has been in place for less than a week, but already the removal of border controls between the new EU countries and western Europe is being blamed for a crime spree. It's not your ordinary cigarette smuggling though: Hungarian politicians are blaming the lack of security checks for the theft of an entire beach.

Since it's a land-locked country, you might be surprised to hear that Hungary even had a beach, but tons of imported sand next to the river at Mindszentas made the strand a favorite summer spot for locals and tourists alike.

This week when management went to check on the beach, which had been covered and locked up for winter, they discovered that it was gone. Thieves lusting after summer stole playground rides, beach huts, sun loungers and even 6,000 cubic meters of sand.

It almost sounds like the management just looked in the wrong place for the beach, but since the local council got involved everything's gotten serious. If you're holidaying in Hungary next summer be warned: You might have to supply your own sand for a day out by the river.

Related Stories:
· Entire Beach Stolen [Ananova]
· Put Away Your Passport in Europe [Jaunted]
· Hungary Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Beaches coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: glennharper]