Rat poison in sandwiches left as gift for staff

RAT-POISONED sandwiches left on a company’s doorstep were eaten by unsuspecting employees, leading to 25 being taken to hospital.

None has fallen seriously ill, but all are being kept under observation, a spokesman for police in the north-west German town of Steinfeld said yesterday.

The sandwiches and a note saying they were a gift were left on the doorstep of an auto parts company in the town on ­Tuesday.

Employees helped themselves to the sandwiches before someone noticed a strange substance on them.

A Berlin laboratory confirmed overnight that the food had been sprinkled with rat poison, the police spokesman added.

“We don’t believe the amount of poison used would have been deadly, but it could have caused serious illness,” he said.

Police have no indication yet who left the poisoned sandwiches or why.