By LORI HINNANT
FILE – In this Sunday July 12, 2009, file photo, customers are seen at the entrance of an IKEA store in Plaisir, France. Officials say senior executives of IKEA France are in police custody Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013, over allegations that they illegally spied on employees and customers. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere, File)
PARIS (AP) — Officials say senior executives of IKEA France are in police custody over allegations that they illegally spied on employees and customers.
IKEA France has fired four employees and instituted a code of conduct in response to the investigation, which began in April 2012. French officials close to the case said IKEA France CEO Stefan Vanoverbeke and its finance chief, Dariusz Rycher, were apprehended Monday and were questioned for a second day Tuesday. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the case. Under French law the men must be freed within 24 hour or formally charged.
Two unions have filed complaints against IKEA, accusing them of spying on hundreds of employees and customers over at least five years. IKEA France is a subsidiary of Swedish furniture giant IKEA.
