BEIRUT: Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told a local daily that the case of the break in Saturday into the house of a leading Lebanese judge had been exaggerated by the media and that evidence indicated it was a regular burglary.

“Watches and rings [were stolen] which indicates it was a regular burglary,” Charbel, who was quoted by An-Nahar newspaper Sunday, said, referring to the break in by an unidentified group into the residence of Judge Alice Shabtini near Jbeil.

Security sources told The Daily Star Saturday that preliminary investigations indicated that a number of items had been stolen from the house, including a personal computer, dossiers and CD disks.

Shabtini, currently head of the Military Appeals Tribunal, is reported to be backed for the post of head of the Higher Judicial Council by President Michel Sleiman.

In a statement to An-Nahar, Charbel also questioned “the media exaggerations” on the matter, saying these aimed at causing commotion.