Two men were arrested near Gostivar yesterday after they assaulted an officer of the Macedonian Forests company who caught them stealing firewood.

The ranger, identified as I.K. by the police, spotted two men, aged 21 and 51 near the village of Zdunje, as they were driving a van filled with firewood. The officer asked them for a logging permit, and the two men assaulted him. The police eventually detained the two men and seized the wood. Given the largely state ownership of commercial forests, theft of firewood is rampant across Macedonia.

Meanwhile in Stip, Kocani and Sveti Nikole, local police has warned citizens of fraud attempts. Men would approach older people offering them firewood at much lower than market prices. When they would take the money, the “sellers” would leave, ostensibly to get the wood, and would then flee with the money. Police spokeswoman Gordana Panajotova said that they have such frauds reported across the region and warns the citizens to be careful.