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The Associated Press
Wednesday, March 19, 2003; 11:01 AM

Residents of five retirement homes in Norway drank a toast to the police this week, thanks in part to the 2,000 cans of free beer they got from them.

Police in Vaagsoy, 373 miles northwest of the capital, Oslo, confiscated the Germany beer earlier this year, but weren't sure what to do with it.

They didn't want to dump it, but they couldn't keep it for themselves, either.

"The other option would have been to destroy the beer," police inspector Nils Bakke said Wednesday.

Rangnhild Hold, the administrator of the Brygja Retirement Home said the beer was a welcome addition to the menu.

"People like to have a beer with food," she said.

"Since we got the beer this weekend, only about three cans have been emptied," Holm said. "We've have enough beer for a very long time."

Holm said it made more sense to give it to residents of the retirement homes.

"There will be a more controlled use here," she said.