NATO soldiers suspected of stealing elk warning signs in Norway

Approximately ten road signs warning of elk danger have disappeared from the road network in Målselv municipality, Norway. The wildlife committee in Målselv suspects that NATO soldiers participating in the Cold Response exercise in February and March may have taken the signs as souvenirs.

Tor Eriksen, deputy chairman of the Målselv wildlife committee, noted that the disappearances coincided with the military exercise. However, a press officer for the Norwegian Armed Forces' Operational Headquarters stated that suspicions against allied forces appear to be ‘unfounded’, noting that such signs have disappeared from Norwegian roads over time.

Local authorities emphasized that the missing signs pose a traffic safety risk. Officials from the Troms County Municipality noted that these signs are often taken by tourists seeking souvenirs from northern Norway.