Magnate's body stolen in Austria

Friedrich Karl Flick died one of the world's richest people

Thieves have stolen the remains of a billionaire who died in 2006 from his vault in southern Austria, moving granite slabs to reach his coffin.

Police believe they must have used heavy lifting gear to remove the coffin of German-born Friedrich Karl Flick in the town of Velden, Carinthia.

Flick, who ran a German industrial empire and owned Austria's largest private forest, died at the age of 79.

Austrian media have speculated that his body was stolen for ransom.

It is believed that the theft was committed at the weekend but news of the crime only emerged in recent days.

The coffin was reportedly made from solid zinc and weighed more than 200kg (441lb). The grave-robbers also had to remove heavy granite slabs to break into the tomb.

The late billionaire's father was Friedrich Flick, a German industrialist convicted at Nuremberg of employing slave labour in his armaments factories in Nazi Germany. He served three years in prison before emerging to rebuild his business.

His son, Friedrich Karl Flick, steered the family concern after his father's death in 1972.

He was listed by Forbes magazine shortly before his own death in 2006 as one of the world's 100 richest people.