Contorsionist thief bends the law

(Illustration only)

BARCELONA (Agencies) The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalonian Police) on Tuesday arrested a pair of thieves with an ingenious method of relieving bus passengers of their valuables on the Girona Airport to Barcelona Estació del Nord line. One of the miscreants, a contortionist, would squeeze into a large suitcase that would then be deposited in the luggage hold of the bus by his accomplice, who bought a ticket and traveled on the bus to its destination. Once underway, the second heister would extricate himself and rifle through the hold stealing valuable objects, particularly electrical devices. The ruse was discovered when the suitcase containing the flexible thief was deposited at Girona Airport, arousing suspicion, as his accomplice carried off the pair's latest haul. When police opened the case, they found the second man inside with a cellphone, a torch and a bradawl.