The former mayor of North Providence, R.I., has denied stealing a couch from the official mayoral office and maintained the fixture was actually his.

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The Providence (R.I.) Journal reported Wednesday that former acting North Providence Mayor John Sisto Jr. said he removed his own couch from the mayor's office last week, despite allegations it was a heist of official property.

The former public official said the couch had been a gift from friends, who donated the furniture item after learning the office had never been supplied with one.

"I did it because John Sisto has been like a father to me," local donor John Litterio said.

The donation of the couch and the sudden open space in current North Providence Mayor Charles A. Lombardi's office seem to represent a local trend that dates back before Sisto's term.

A. Ralph Mollis, who held office before Sisto, said Tuesday that he too had to garner his own office couch while in office.

He told the Journal the sofa that originally had resided in the mayor's office was relocated before his term to the town's Planning Department.