Curling stones stolen from Winter Paralympics venue

The theft of two curling stones set to be used at the Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina is being investigated, World Curling has confirmed.

Action in Italy began on Wednesday night with the preliminary rounds of the inaugural mixed doubles wheelchair competition, but the drama started earlier when it was discovered the rocks, believed to be worth around £750 each, were missing from the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.

“Unfortunately there has been a situation where two stones were stolen from the venue,” a World Curling spokesperson said to the Press Association.

“The local authorities are currently investigating.”

The stones were also used in the Olympic mixed doubles tournament. Spare stones from the set have been brought up to the same specifications as the rest of the rocks in play and will be used in place of the stolen granite.

PA understands ParalympicsGB was made aware of the situation but it has not affected British duo Jo Butterfield and Jason Kean, who opened their competition with a 10-7 defeat to Estonia.

A regulation stone can have a maximum circumference of 36 inches (914 mm) and weighs around 42 pounds. The granite used comes from Ailsa Craig, an island off the Ayrshire coast of Scotland, according to manufacturer Kays Scotland.

Only 128 stones were made for the Milan and Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to Kays’ website.