THE WEEKEND STAR has learnt that three student athletes from Jamaica who competed at the recently staged Penn Relays in Pennsylvania, United States, were arrested for shoplifting during the staging of the event.

It is understood that the athletes went into a clothing store during the excitement of the staging of the annual relay festival and stole a quantity of goods, the value of which was undetermined.

It is not clear if those involved were brought before the courts, but it was learnt that persons from the students' school had to visit the proprietors of the store to pay for the stolen goods.

THE WEEKEND STAR also learnt that a meeting by a local sporting body had to be postponed to allow the representatives adequate time to travel and clear the debt caused by the alleged shoplifters.

Contact made with a source at the school's sports department proved futile, as the individual with whom we spoke refused to divulge details. However, the individual did not confirm or deny that the reported case of shoplifting had actually taken place.

However, a source close to the school said that the incident had indeed occurred and the athletes' coach was very upset. It was also revealed that the athletes had to stay behind in the US, after the incident, so that the matter could be dealt with.