German prosecutors investigating missing data in VW scandal

BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors said Thursday that they are investigating an employee at Volkswagen who allegedly asked his coworkers to delete or hide data in connection with the company's emission scandal.

Braunschweig prosecutor Klaus Ziehe said the suspect, whose name was not released, had in an "indirect but clear enough way" made the request just before Volkswagen acknowledged using special software to rig U.S. emissions tests last year.

Ziehe said several employees moved files to flash drives, some of which have been recovered.

"So far we do not think this was a huge data loss which would massively harm or delay the investigations in the emissions process," Ziehe said.

Volkswagen declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

The company's shares were down 2.3 percent at 128.10 euros ($145.75) in late trading in Frankfurt, where the DAX index of blue chip stocks was 1.2 percent lower overall.