O.J. Simpson's rambling apology in a Las Vegas courtroom was the last-ditch bid for leniency by a "monster," the family of Ron Goldman said Monday.

O.J. Simpson's rambling apology in a Las Vegas courtroom was the last-ditch bid for leniency by a "monster," the family of Ron Goldman said Monday."I don't believe for one single second he has an ounce of remorse in his body," Fred Goldman said on NBC's "Today." "He's never apologized for anything that he's horribly done in his life."Goldman said Simpson's emotional, five-minute plea Friday over his confrontation last year with sports memorabilia dealers was that of "a monster who was simply trying to find a way to get the judge to give him a better deal."Simpson was sentenced to 9 to 33 years in prison on 12 charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery, in the confrontation over collectibles that the former football star insisted were stolen from him.Simpson's Oct. 3 conviction with a co-defendant in the Las Vegas case came 13 years to the day after he was cleared in the slaying of Ron Goldman and Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.In a 1997 civil trial, Simpson was found liable for the deaths and ordered to pay a $33.5 million judgment to the victims' families.Ron Goldman's sister, Kim Goldman, called Simpson's Las Vegas sentencing a "good day for us. ... It's been a long time coming."

Jonathan Atkins, 21, and Raymond Little, 18, are allegedly followed people who had won money as they were leaving casinos to head home and then robbed

Two men suspected in a string of robberies at local casinos were in custody Sunday, according to a sheriff's lieutenant. Jonathan Atkins, 21, and Raymond Little, 18, are allegedly followed people who had won money as they were leaving casinos to head home and then robbed them. They were swarmed by sheriff's deputies about 1 a.m. Saturday at a gas station at Western and Fountain avenues in Hollywood. They were in a car with North Carolina license plates, police said. The two were wanted in connection with a follow-home robbery last week in Orange County, in which they allegedly followed a man from the Commerce Casino to his Lake Forrest home and robbed him at gunpoint. Police believe the duo have committed several other similar crimes. Each one is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Elizabeth Tarke,Ex-teller pleads guilty to aiding bank robbers

Ex-teller pleads guilty to aiding bank robbers: A former head bank teller pleaded guilty Thursday to aiding and abetting bank robbers who threatened her family if she did not help with the heist.Elizabeth Tarke, 41, of Olney, faces 10 years in prison. Authorities said Tarke, the head bank teller at the Wheaton branch of BB&T, was home when someone walked up to her 9-year-old daughter and pointed a gun to her head. She later received a letter threatening to harm her daughter and family if Tarke didn’t cooperate in a robbery of the bank the following month. On Jan. 9, 2008, Tarke let a man posing as armored truck guard into the bank where he walked off with $547,500 in cash.

"the steal of the century."Jewelry worth $108 million from a Harry Winston boutique in Paris, in one of the world's largest jewel heists.

Armed robbers wearing women's wigs and clothing made off with diamond rings, gem-studded bracelets and other jewelry worth $108 million from a Harry Winston boutique in Paris, in one of the world's largest jewel heists.As Christmas shoppers strolled outside, the gunmen forced store employees to strip rings, necklaces and earrings from window displays and pull more out of safes, Isabelle Montagne, spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor's office, said Friday.The brazen robbery early Thursday evening took place in the presence of security guards and security cameras in one of Paris' toniest shopping locales, just steps away from the tourist-filled Champs-Elysees. Besides Harry Winston, Nina Ricci, Gucci, Chanel and Dior are among the fashion houses with boutiques on the Avenue Montaigne.The robbers threatened the 15 employees with handguns and hit some on the head, according to a police official who cannot be identified under agency policy. The robbers spoke a foreign language at times and appeared to know employees' names, the official said.Montagne said there was only one client in the store at the time, and no one was injured and no weapons were fired. She called the incident "very well-organized," and said three of the four gunmen were dressed as women and wore wigs.Investigators seized the store's surveillance tapes and police said one group under suspicion was the so-called "Pink Panthers," a ring of jewel thieves mostly from the former Yugoslavia. The international police agency Interpol has blamed the group for jewel thefts in 19 countries in Europe, Asia and the Persian Gulf worth more than $150 million over the past 10 years.Paris' Harry Winston boutique was targeted in a similar heist last year, when three thieves made off with $28.4 million worth of jewels after forcing employees to open safes. They were never caught.French police called Thursday's robbery one of the world's costliest jewel thefts. Five years ago, robbers plundered 123 maximum-security vaults in Antwerp, Belgium, stealing $100 million worth of diamonds in what was then considered the biggest jewel theft.The Paris robbers chose one of the world's most glamorous targets: Harry Winston jewels have adorned Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna and numerous Hollywood celebrities. The jeweler is famous for its one-of-a-kind diamond-studded pendants, opulent chandelier earrings and colored diamonds in vivid shades of yellow, blue and pink."We are cooperating with the authorities in their investigation. Our first concern is the well-being of our employees," New York-based Harry Winston said. Rhonda Barnat, a spokeswoman for the company, did not provide further details.The boutique was closed Friday, and three of its five display windows stood empty of their usual stunning jewelry. Vendors at the nearby Louis Vuitton and Max Mara boutiques said they did not notice anything unusual Thursday — until police sirens wailed.Harry Winston declared to insurers that the stolen goods were worth $108 million (euro85 million), the Paris prosecutor's office said.Geoff Field, CEO of the British Jewelers' Association, called it a "pretty sensational" robbery, but added: "There are well-known gangs around looking to target high-value diamonds."He stressed the stolen jewels would be difficult to sell "through any legitimate channels.""They will undoubtedly be certified," he said, adding: "There will be a record of their quality, their cut, their weight, their color, and they will be identifiable."
Passers-by at the Harry Winston store wondered the same thing Friday.
"How do you fence it? How do you get rid of it?" asked tourist Richard Conacher, a 39-year-old hotelier from Melbourne, Australia. "You'd have to think they were famous pieces."A half-century ago, company founder Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond — the world's largest blue diamond and famed for the bad luck that it brought its owners — to the Smithsonian Institution. Thursday's robbery comes as a security monitoring group for the French jewelry industry has reported a 20 percent rise in armed robberies over last year, with 132 taking place through November.Armed robbers stole gems worth 85 million euros ($108 million) from luxury jewelers in the heart of Paris, during a raid described by French media Friday as the most lucrative heist in France's history.The Harry Winston chain, long a favorite among the world's rich and famous, once provided jewels to the Shah of Iran for his wedding and to Richard Burton for his wife Elizabeth Taylor.A spokeswoman at the Paris prosecutors' office said the Harry Winston store, located just off the Champs Elysees on an avenue of luxury outlets, had declared 85 million euros' worth of losses to its insurers after Thursday's hold-up.

"These are experienced bandits. They got through the main door without drawing attention to themselves. In less than 20 minutes they got up to the first floor, emptied the safes and the display cases and left through the door," she said.

A police spokesman said the gang of four men, one or two of them disguised as women, threatened customers and pistol-whipped some of the staff. They appeared very well-prepared."Apparently they knew the names of several of the staff," the spokesman said.The raid came a year almost to the day after the same store was attacked by robbers who forced staff to empty its safes, taking at least $16 million worth of jewels.Experts at the prosecutors' office said the jewels and luxury watches stolen Thursday could not be sold in their present form as they would be too easily recognized. They said organized crime networks capable of finding buyers for the gems outside of France were likely to be involved in the heist.The firm shows on its website a gem bought by the late shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis to present to former U.S. first lady Jacqueline Kennedy as an engagement ring.It also has more recent pictures of movie actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank and Scarlett Johansson wearing its jewels.The French celebrity press reported earlier this year that President Nicolas Sarkozy gave a Harry Winston ring to model-turned-popstar Carla Bruni for their engagement, though the information has not been officially confirmed.

Police constable was shot dead and his colleague was injured during a shoot out between police and robbers outside a supermarket in Harare

Police constable was shot dead and his colleague was injured during a shoot out between police and robbers outside a supermarket in Harare, Khayelitsha on Sunday.
The police were called out to a robbery in progress at Score supermarket at about 6.15am and arrived as the robbers were leaving the shop.A shoot-out ensued during which Constable Tueiho Thokolo was shot and killed and his colleague, a reservist-constable, was shot in his upper left leg, said police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Billy Jones.The reservist-constable is currently in a serious but stable condition in a hospital, while particulars of his dead colleague will be released later, said JonesOne of the robbers was shot in the head during the shoot out and died at the scene.A 9mm firearm was found in his possession and confiscated. Two other suspects fled the scene with R6 000 and a cellphone and are still at large.

police are looking for three suspects in connection with a burglary that sent two residents to the hospital with minor gunshot injuries

Sioux Falls police are looking for three suspects in connection with a burglary that sent two residents to the hospital with minor gunshot injuries.It happened just after 2 a.m. Monday in the central part of town.The man who called 911 said three men wearing masks and bandanas and carrying at least two handguns broke into the apartment and he was hit in the foot when one of the guns went off.A female resident received a graze wound to the foot.The resident said the intruders took several electronics items before leaving.

Tharod Bell,and James Herard, are accused in the Nov. 27 shooting of Kiem Huynh,

Two men suspected of being involved in a recent rash of shootings and robberies at several South Florida Dunkin' Donuts shops will be charged with first-degree murder after one of their victims died in the hospital, the Broward Sheriff's Office said today.Tharod Bell, 21, of Fort Lauderdale, and James Herard, 19, of Lauderhill, are accused in the Nov. 27 shooting of Kiem Huynh, 56, of Fort Lauderdale, authorities said.Huynh, a customer, was shot in the back during a robbery of a Dunkin' Donuts store in Tamarac. He died Sunday.Four other people were wounded in a Nov. 26 attack on a Dunkin' Donuts in Delray Beach. three others are accused of robbing Dunkin' Donuts stores in Broward and Palm Beach counties: Jonathan Jackson, 23, of Lauderhill; Charles Faustin, 18, of Fort Lauderdale; and Calvin Weatherspoon, 20, of Lauderdale Lakes.All are being held without bond on armed robbery charges.In another development, police said the Nov. 14 shotgun death of a 39-year-old man in Lauderhill has been linked to the suspects.Eric Jean-Pierre, 39, was killed with a blast from a shotgun as he walked in the 2100 block of Northwest 55th Avenue on his way home from work, said police Capt. Rick Rocco.No other details were immediately available.The suspects are accused of also robbing a Dunkin' Donuts in Sunrise on Nov. 24 and a 7-Eleven store in Pompano Beach on Nov. 26, the Sheriff's Office said.
Five shotgun shells, dark-colored clothing, bandanas and victims' credit cards were found at the home of Jackson's girlfriend, according to court documents.Sheriff's detectives searched the home just hours after his Wednesday arrest, according to a search warrant made available today.One of his alleged accomplices told investigators that the shotgun shells could be found in the home, according to the search warrant.In addition, detectives videotaped Jackson talking about the shotgun shells when he was placed in an interview room with Weatherspoon, court records show.
"I should have gotten rid of the spent shells in the top dresser drawer," Jackson said on tape.

Icod de los Vinos Guardia Civil have arrested a 22-year-old woman for possession of 29 bags of cocaine

Icod de los Vinos Guardia Civil have arrested a 22-year-old woman for possession of 29 bags of cocaine amounting to 15 grams which she is presumed to have intended to sell. The woman was caught on the TF5 by a checkpoint, and the cocaine was seized along with 160€ which is thought likely to be the proceeds of previous sales.

Drug trafficking gang operating in the Canary Islands have been arrested in a series of raids in Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.

Drug trafficking gang operating in the Canary Islands have been arrested in a series of raids in Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. According to a Guardia Civil statement released yesterday, the gang had laundered part of the proceeds by investing in local business such as restaurants and bars, and buying property, while the rest was diverted to bank accounts in Morocco and Melilla. A total of 800kg of cannabis has been confiscated, 300kg of which was discovered in a lorry on board a ferry travelling from Fuertventura to Las Palmas while the remaining 500kg was found during a search of a chalet on the outskirts of Pájara in southern Fuertventura.
It seems that the drugs were smuggled from north Africa using high-powered motor launches, four of which have been confiscated. Sixteen bank accounts have been blocked and embargoes have been imposed on several chalets, apartments, and garages, as well as two restaurants and a bar, in Puerto del Rosario, Cotillo and Antigua.

Plot to import millions of pounds worth of drugs into the UK was foiled when Spanish police became suspicious of a consignment of five pallets

Plot to import millions of pounds worth of drugs into the UK was foiled when Spanish police became suspicious of a consignment of five pallets awaiting shipment to Cumbria, a court heard. Police in Seville opened the boxes and found more than four tonnes of cannabis which would have been worth £12 million if it had reached the streets of Britain.They replaced the drugs with sand and bricks and sent the load on its way.Then, a jury at Carlisle Crown Court was told, they alerted their counterparts in Cumbria, so they were waiting when the consignment arrived at a cash and carry warehouse in Windermere.The alleged ringleaders were arrested on the spot and charged with various drug-dealing and money-laundering crimes.Further investigations showed that cannabis worth a total of £35m could have been sent in four previous consignments.The prosecution says a gang of local people, led by George Tymoszycki of Storrs Park, Bowness-on-Windermere, were involved in importing the cannabis.Tymoszycki died in June.Those on trial are his ex-wife Sharon Ambrose, 48, of Storrs Park, Bowness-on-Windermere; John James Nightingale, 65, of Lane End West, Windermere who runs Lakes Car Hire in Windermere and Duncan William Maxwell, 43, of Lake Road, Windermere. Nightingale has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis and to money laundering, while Ambrose and Maxwell have both denied money laundering.The court was told that Nightingale supervised the deliveries while Nightingale, Maxwell and Ambrose then put the money through their bank accounts in an attempt to hide its origin.The trial is expected to last about three weeks.

Guardia Civil arrested a 50-year-old German yesterday for trying to bring 1,090 grams of cocaine into Tenerife through the airport.

Guardia Civil arrested a 50-year-old German yesterday for trying to bring 1,090 grams of cocaine into Tenerife through the airport. The arrest was made in the arrivals hall when Guardia Civil officers approached the man and asked the reason for his visit to Tenerife. Apparently, he was unable to give a convincing reason, and although a search of his suitcase revealed nothing, he was taken to a hospital centre in Santa Cruz for X-rays where it was established that he was carrying the drugs inside his body. The packets were expelled under medical control, and turned out to be 88 capsules of cocaine amounting to 1,090 gramos.

Police in Spain have arrested two people on suspicion of having swindled a total of 65 million euros from foreigners.

Police in Spain have arrested two people on suspicion of having swindled a total of 65 million euros from foreigners. Around 200 people, most of them Britons, had invested money in non-existent schemes along Spain's Costa del Sol.Twenty people are suspected of money laundering, falsifying documents and fraud after they approached foreign investors through Internet, telephone calls and real estate fairs.

Daniel Paul Johnston wanted for four robberies in Derbyshire now thought to be living in Spain

FUGITIVE wanted for four robberies in Derbyshire now thought to be living in Spain is still being hunted by crime-fighters.
Police issued a photograph of Daniel Paul Johnston, 27, in January, along with an appeal for information from the public.
But Johnston, who is originally from Matlock and is wanted for four robberies at off-licences in Derbyshire, remains on the run and is still believed to be in the Costa Del Sol.As part of Operation Captura – a scheme launched by the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Crimestoppers and the Spanish authorities – Johnston was named on a list of 20 fugitives police wanted to trace.
An agency spokesman said: "We are still making efforts to trace this man and continue to work with colleagues to do so. There are indications that he went to Spain and we believe he is still living there.
"While we cannot talk about the specifics of investigations, we can say that work with the relevant authorities in Spain is on-going."
Johnston is thought to have committed two robberies in September, 2004, and one in January, 2005, at Bargain Booze, in Limetree Avenue, Midway.
Another, in October 2004, took place at Wellwood Road Stores, in Newhall.
A knife was brandished and cash stolen.
Operation Captura identifies people wanted by British police for crimes committed in the UK. To date, 14 fugitives have been brought to justice following 20 such appeals on the Crimestoppers' Most Wanted website.
The appeals ask members of the public, either in Spain or the UK, to contact the authorities to help trace suspected criminals.
SOCA co-ordinates the appeals and then processes a European arrest warrant, which is used to bring fugitives back to the UK.
The introduction of European arrest warrants came about in 2003 as part of the Extradition Act and is used to speed up the transfer of suspects from one country to another.The spokesman added: "We have had great success from the operation so far and we will do all we can to bring people to justice."
The Costa del Sol, in Andalucia, was given the nickname "Costa del Crime" over 20 years ago because of the number of suspected UK criminals thought to be living there.

Wythenshawe's Newall Green Crew gang were sentenced to a total of 24 years in jail after pleading guilty

Armed robbers who raided homes and then posted videos on the internet of sports cars they had stolen have been jailed. The five members of Wythenshawe's Newall Green Crew gang were sentenced to a total of 24 years in jail after pleading guilty to numerous offences, including armed robbery and burglary. They targeted homes with high-powered cars parked outside during an eight-month crime spree. After threatening, beating and robbing the homeowners, they would then use the cars for other crimes, mostly robberies. The cars stolen included a Subaru Impreza, which was shown speeding around the Wythenshawe estate and pulling 'doughnuts' in a video posted on Youtube by one gang member. Also stolen between May 2007 and January this year by the gang were an Audi A4, Audi A3, a VW Golf and Seat Leon. Detective Constable Stephen Philips said: "These five men are repeat offenders who have shown a complete disregard for the law. "Between them they have targeted and terrified completely innocent members of the public. "Thanks to a lot of hard work by officers at the burglary unit we were able to identify the offenders as key players in a gang who prided themselves on their criminal background. "I am pleased they are all now starting considerable prison sentences. The streets will certainly be safer with them behind bars." The gang were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Friday (28/11/08). Michael O'Reilly, 20, of Barnwood Road, Newall Green, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery and one count of burglary. He was jailed for seven years.
Jonathan Charles Costello, 22, of Foxlair Road, Poundswick, pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to five years.
Matthew Sam Hackland, 21, of Greenbrow Road, Newall Green, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary at an earlier hearing and has been sentenced to four years.
Derek Cotterill, 23, of St George's Court, Eccles, Salford, admitted two counts of burglary at an earlier hearing. He was jailed for three years.
Damien Lee Dean, 24, of Kennett Road, Newall Green pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen goods at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to five years. Along with the five gang members, Paul Costello, 20, of Old Moat Lane, Withington, admitted handling stolen goods and going equipped for burglary at an earlier hearing and was jailed for nine months.

Jose Echeverria,two or three men attacked him, hitting him on the head several times and robbing him of his cellphone

Jose Echeverria, 45, of suburban West Palm Beach was walking toward his house in the 2600 block of Hiawatha Avenue about 11 p.m. Saturday when two or three men attacked him, hitting him on the head several times and robbing him of his cellphone, he told the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.Echeverria, who continued home and waited about an hour before calling authorities, was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center, where he remained today in critical condition, according to a sheriff's statement circulated this afternoon. Sheriff's detectives weren't able to interview Echeverria.
"Initial information indicated the victim may have been shot," the statement said. "Investigation is still ongoing to determine if the victim was in fact shot."

Macon police are investigating a home invasion, after three men showed up at an apartment on Woodward Avenue with handguns and a rifle

Macon police are investigating a home invasion, after three men showed up at an apartment on Woodward Avenue with handguns and a rifle late Saturday night. The victims were in their apartment with several friends when the men showed up wearing dark clothing and ski masks.One of the suspects fired a shot into the wall, then they robbed everyone in the home. In an ironic twist, as the robbers left they told the people in the apartment to "have a Merry Christmas" before they ran away.

Jonathan Good, 36, arrested about noon driving a vehicle stolen out of Mecosta County several hours earlier.

fugitive who slipped out of a northern Michigan jail five days ago was back in custody Sunday, arrested without incident by police during a traffic stop. Michigan State Police said Sunday that the Romulus Police Department had arrested Jonathan Good, 36, about noon driving a vehicle stolen out of Mecosta County several hours earlier. "There had been a statewide bulletin put out on the vehicle which was spotted by Romulus officers," said Sgt Joe Cairnduff of the Reed City state police post. "Officers will be picking him up and bringing him back to jail." Good, who escaped from the Mecosta County Jail Wednesday, prompted a house-by-house search in a Big Rapids neighborhood he was believed hiding out. Good had been held on 31 counts, including attempted murder, armed robbery and assault with intent to commit murder. All the offenses happened after Good was paroled in 2006 after serving a jail sentence for second-degree murder and armed robbery.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Craig Strong shot at three men suspected of robbing his home

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Craig Strong shot at three men suspected of robbing his home at 7:15 p.m. today on the 1700 block of Seminole in Detroit’s Indian Village, police said.Strong came home to find the men inside his house. He shot at them with his own gun and chased them outside. Police said it’s unclear if he hit any of the men. They ran off. A television was left on Strong’s lawn and nothing else was missing from the house, police said.It was not immediately known if Strong’s weapon is registered, police said.

Robbed a Latin grocery store in Olathe.

Police on Saturday were looking for two men who robbed a Latin grocery store in Olathe.The crime occurred about 10:50 a.m. Friday at the Latino Y Punto, 909 S. Parker St.The victim told police that one robber entered the store with a handgun and demanded money. He took an unspecified amount and fled north on Parker in a mint-colored Ford Expedition driven by an accomplice, police said.

Group of armed men wearing masks stormed into a Pleasant Hill home

Group of armed men wearing masks stormed into a Pleasant Hill home on Thanksgiving, and kept a family at gunpoint while they committed a robbery, police said.
It happened around 11 p.m. on Phylis Drive. The family, a woman and her 3 sons, had just finished watching a movie when the robbers broke in. The gunmen punched one family member in the face, and unloaded their bullets to prove the guns were loaded.
The robbers forced all four to the ground, and then proceeded to take their pants, cell phones, wallets and prescription medication. Police tried to track down the robbers with a dog, but lost their scent after 2 blocks. It is still unsure if the robbery was random, or if the attackers knew the victims.

Gang of robbers had been using women with chloroform smeared on their chests to knock their victims unconscious.

UGANDA’S police warned male bar-goers to keep their noses clean after a probe found a gang of robbers had been using women with chloroform smeared on their chests to knock their victims unconscious.“They apply this chemical to their chest. We have found victims in an unconscious state,” Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) spokesman Fred Enanga said.“You find the person stripped totally naked and everything is taken from him,” he said.“And the victim doesn’t remember anything. He just remembers being in the act of romancing.”He called on men, particularly travelling businessmen who tend to carry a lot of cash, to take caution.“It’s a serious situation and people have to be aware

Armed robbers laid siege to the Benin-Sagamu Expressway as Yuletide is fast approaching.

Armed robbers laid siege to the Benin-Sagamu Expressway as Yuletide is fast approaching. Our correspondent gathered that robbery incidents occur daily on the highway in the past two weeks. Newspaper delivery vans and other haulage vehicles, it was learnt, were not spared from the attacks. Delivery vans belonging to a newspaper company were attacked on two different occasions last week. Last Tuesday, the van that brought newspapers to Akure, the Ondo State capital, in an attempt to avoid a roadblock mounted by robbers, veered off his lane and collided with an oncoming vehicle.The accident resulted in the death of two persons while some passengers were seriously injured.The following day, another Toyota Hilux delivery van of the same company which headed for Akure was stopped by some bandits. But the driver who refused to stop narrowly escaped death as shots fired at him hit the side of the van.He, however, ended up with a not-too-deep cut on his hand. An alleged member of the gang was later arrested at Ore by men of the Ondo State Police Command who were on patrol. Some motorists told our correspondent that armed robbers found it easy to carry out their operations due to potholes at some failed sections of the road. One of the victims of the attack, a journalist with Ekiti State Broadcasting Service, Mr. Bisi Longe, blamed the police for his woes. He said his car was stopped at a police checkpoint within Ogun State about 7.30pm and was only asked to leave the spot at about 11.45pm. Moments after leaving the scene, his car, he said, ran into a dicth on the road and while trying to get away from it, armed robbers numbering about seven pounced on him. “At about midnight, I was stopped by a gang of robbers. I was thoroughly beaten because I did not have much money on me. I was slapped until I had a bloodshot eye and I was hit with a heavy object on my knee – I had a dislocation and could not walk for many days.” he stated. However, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Adeniran Aremu, said there was no upsurge of robbery incidents on the highways in the state.He said the command had been able to check activities of criminals in the state. Aremu stated that the command carried out effective patrol of Ajebandele which is the border town between Ondo and Ogun states and Ofosu which is Ondo State boundary with Edo State . He said that the police were aware that robbery activities were always on the increase during the last quarter of every year, noting that the command was on top of the situation.

THIEVES used acetylene gas to blow up four ATMs across Sydney, threatening one passer-by who strayed too close with a gun.

THIEVES used acetylene gas to blow up four ATMs across Sydney, threatening one passer-by who strayed too close with a gun.They targeted machines at four local shopping centres throughout the early hours of this morning. The heists - all aimed at St George bank machines - are the latest in a string of ATM explosions across Australia recently. The thieves pumped acetylene gas into the ATMs and ignited them, exploding them from the wall and blowing their cash boxes from the machines. But their attempt to rob the Chatswood ATM in the city's north failed, when the machine didn't ignite about 4am. Members of the public disturbed four men at the Railway Street ATM on Tuesday morning, police said One of the thieves threatened a man with a firearm, but no shots were fired. The bandits failed to make off with any cash and were last seen travelling along Railway St in a dark sedan, possibly a grey Audi.
They were also interrupted by railway security guards, who saw three men wearing balaclavas, armed with handguns. Railway Street at Chatswood was closed for several hours while bomb squad officers investigated. Bomb squad and fire crews spent over an hour securing the area surrounding the Chatswood ATM before it was cleared for safety at around 8.15am. Traffic was diverted and passengers accessing bus stops at Railway St, Chatswood were diverted during the operation. Forensics teams are still examining the site, accessing the targetted ATM via surrounding buildings.Police state crime command will take over investigations. The three other ATMs destroyed by explosives were in Sydney's south-west - at Bullecourt Ave in Milperra at 2.30am, Hay St in Georges Hall at 2.50am , and Penshurst Ave in Penshurst at 3.10am. At this stage they are not saying whether the criminals, believed to be three men, escaped with any money.

Four men wearing masks, guns drawn, burst through the door and order everyone to the floor. Customers scream, employees run for the panic button.

Four men wearing masks, guns drawn, burst through the door and order everyone to the floor. Customers scream, employees run for the panic button.But this wasn't a jewelry store or even a bank. It was a Dunkin' Donuts shop, where elderly residents gathered late Wednesday for a cup of joe, maybe to talk about Thanksgiving plans or simply to stay warm.Dressed in black, the four robbers began wreaking havoc on the 4800 block of West Atlantic Avenue at 10:22 p.m.Two jumped the counter and ordered an employee to open the register. The other two terrorized customers "This is a senseless crime," police spokesman Jeff Messer said.What they stole: "It couldn't have been more than a couple of hundred dollars," Messer said.The four men rifled through everyone's pockets and cleaned out the register. On a surveillance video released to police, the men are seen pushing patrons to the ground. Two held handguns. One had a shotgun, police said.As the men began to leave, one of them drew the shotgun close to a customer's face and pulled the trigger at close range. Then he fired at another.Investigators said a man driving a Chevrolet Lumina on Whatley Road flashed his high beams at the fleeing robbers as they ran in front of him. One of the robbers fired at the car, hitting the man in the face through the windshield.A fourth victim later showed up at the VA Medical Center in Riviera Beach with what police described as a shotgun pellet wound to his leg.Police did not release the identity of the victims. Two were taken to Delray Medical Center; all are expected to recover.Police said the robbers are dangerous. Messer said they shot innocent victims who could not have identified any of them through their masks."The act itself is so heinous," Messer said. "They started randomly shooting people who were compliant."The stand-alone store abuts quiet residential neighborhoods, small shopping centers and offices. Customers drove up to the store throughout Thursday afternoon, only to turn around when they saw police tape. "We are working with our franchisee, Hitish Patel, who is supporting the efforts of the local authorities," Dunkin' Donuts spokesman Andrew Mastrangelo said in a written statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families."

Sotogrande 600 kilos of hashish hidden in petrol cans

National Police has been involved 600 kilograms of hashish hidden in cans of petrol in a pleasure boat moored Dutch flag in the marina of Sotogrande, Cadiz who had as the final destination Palma. Three people have been arrested as alleged perpetrators of a crime against public health. Praise arrested have been identified as RB, aged 61, born in Harlen (Netherlands); RGF, a native of Madrid, 25, and DABG, 19, born in Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic) The investigation focused on an organized group of Dutch and Spanish settled on the Costa del Sol, Morocco and Holland, who were dedicated to the introduction of large quantities of hashish by pleasure craft from the Moroccan coast to Spain. Investigators found out that the group had intended to transport a large quantity of the drug until a marina on the island of Mallorca, but due to technical problems, they decided to divert its route to Sotogrande. Responsible for transporting the drug from Tangiers, aboard the yacht 'Sea Pilot' with a Dutch flag and 11 meters in length, were arrested RB and R.G.F. Departed from the port of Cadiz in the early months and 18 days the researchers found the boat and its occupants on his return to Spain, which established a monitoring device. Days later showed how one of the crew, of Dutch nationality, got inside the boat three containers of 25 liters of gasoline each and introduced into a vehicle. The next day, accompanied by another of the crew, of Dominican nationality, returned back to the boat and took it another five containers of fuel. At that time both were arrested because the gasoline containers were filled with hashish pills. In the records of the other boat were recovered Hashish twenty-six drums that contained, with a gross weight of approximately 600 kilograms.
Registration of the home of R.B. were found three revolvers and two carbines, abundant ammunition for the 22 and 9 mm, a ski mask and two tablets of hashish.

40 year old man who was seriously injured when attacked with a baseball bat

40 year old man who was seriously injured when attacked with a baseball bat while taking a walk on the El Postuguet beach in the city, has died in the Alicante General Hospital.The emergency services were called to the scene of the aggression at 7,15am on Wednesday morning.

Costa del Sol real estate scam 200 Brits affected

Several searches of real estate companies were carried out in Fuengirola and Mijas yesterday in connection with an alleged fraud which is thought to have affected hundreds of British citizens.The scam consisted in offering investment in what turned out to be false construction projects on the Costa del Sol, according to La Opinión de Málaga this morning.One Briton affected by this made a complaint to the British courts and they have sent a commission to the Costa to investigate. The British judiciary gave the information to the National Court in Spain, which in turn passed it on to the courts in Fuengirola.The swoops yesterday, in both homes and businesses, were carried out by the Central Operations Unit of the Guardia Civil, and it’s thought that several people will now face charges.Meanwhile in what is described as a parallel operation, the Anti-corruption Prosecutor ordered searches of two ‘little known’ lawyers in Mijas. The investigation is into allegations of money laundering, not thought to be linked to the real estate scam.
The scam consisted of offering investments in real estate projects on the Costa via companies in financial havens, with the value of the supposed projects, many of them rural, multiplied in some cases tenfold. Many of the contacts were made over the Internet. The total amount defrauded as none of the projects came to fruition is some 65 million €. The case is being instructed in court two in Fuengirola and started to be investigated by the authorities two years ago.The Spanish anti-corruption prosecutor has been working closely with the British authorities on the case, and sent several officers to the U.K. to interview nine victims there.Two people were arrested by the Guardia Civil on Tuesday as searches were carried out in businesses and homes in Fuengirola and Mijas on Tuesday and Wednesday. The judge has called 20 people of different nationalities to give evidence in the case as investigations continue.

Arrested for trying to con his parents out of €30,000

young man from Murcia has been arrested for trying to con his parents out of €30,000 euros in ransom money by pretending to have been kidnapped. It seems that the man was detained after police traced a call he had made to his parents to inform them of the time and place they were to leave the money, and to let them know that the kidnappers had instructed him to collect it personally. When questioned, he admitted that he had wanted the cash to move out of the family home and to another city.

British 'martial arts experts' are being questioned by police after a foiled kidnap and extortion attempt on an expatriate in Tarifa.

British 'martial arts experts' are being questioned by police after a foiled kidnap and extortion attempt on an expatriate in southern Spain.Shoppers in the resort of Tarifa rescued the British victim as he was being bundled into a jeep by four men outside a supermarket. The suspects were arrested at a roadblock last Thursday on their way to the Strait of Gibraltar.Spanish detectives believe the group, who they describe as 'martial arts experts who belong to a criminal organisation', travelled from the UK on the orders of a criminal paymaster who had been attempting to force the victim to transfer £100,000 into British bank accounts. Spanish police said the victim was 'a law-abiding man' without criminal links, but would not say why he was targeted or release his name. A spokesman for Spain's Civil Guard said: 'The victim had been the object of a campaign of extortion. When he refused, the person demanding the money hired four British men to obtain the cash by kidnapping him.' Investigators said they believed the gang planned to fly back to Britain on Friday after carrying out the kidnap. Details of the four men, aged between 40 and 55, have been passed to British detectives.

Five bodies have been found inside suitcases in the province of Malaga.

The latest suitcaase murder containing a human skeleton has been found in a dry river bed next to the MA-387 road in Mijas. Pathologists at the Institute of Legal Medicine are analysing the skeleton in an attempt to identify it. Whilst a preliminary examination suggests it is that of a large, middle-aged man who died about one year ago, existing environmental conditions may have delayed or accelerated the putrefaction of the body. Investigators have found what appears to be a bullet hole in the back of the skull and are investigating all disappearances reported up to one year ago. In recent years, no fewer than five bodies have been found inside suitcases in the province of Malaga.

Depot manager at Movers International, became suspicious about a request to ship furniture from Alicante to Preston

Depot manager at Movers International, based at Red Scar Industrial Estate, became suspicious about a request to ship furniture from Alicante to Preston.
And when Spanish police checked the furniture they discovered £250,000 worth of cannabis destined for the streets of Liverpool.
This week Peter Thomas, 47, of Upper Brassey Street, Birkenhead, who had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to supply 122 kilograms of the Class C drug, was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Preston Crown Court.
Thomas' conviction follows a joint operation between Lancashire Constabulary's Serious and Organised Crime Unit and the Guardia Civil Police, based in the Alicante area of Spain, which began in June 2006 and was sparked by the depot manager's suspicions.Codenamed Operation Hazel, it targeted the importation of cannabis from Spain into the UK.Preston Crown Court prosecutor Robert Platts said in July 2006 the cannabis resin was seized by the Spanish authorities in Alicante after the manager at Movers International became "highly suspicious'' of a request to ship furniture from Spain to Preston.The cannabis would have been delivered with the furniture to Preston and was then to be delivered to an address in the Liverpool area.As a result of the investigation Thomas was arrested and later charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis.A spokesperson for the Serious and Organised Crime Unit said: "This is another excellent example of Lancashire Constabulary's Serious and Organised Crime Unit disrupting the importation of controlled drugs into the UK .
"We have developed partnerships with colleagues from enforcement agencies on the European mainland and this investigation illustrates how, by working together with the Spanish police, we were able to prevent the supply of the cannabis and disrupt a well developed network."We will continue to work with colleagues across Europe to protect the communities of Lancashire and the United Kingdom from drugs and other highly profitable organised crime."

Paul Charleston, 45, of Leigh, was taken into custody by Majorcan police, along with another Briton – Donna Marie Messe,

Paul Charleston, 45, of Leigh, was taken into custody by Majorcan police, along with another Briton – Donna Marie Messe, 38, of Seisdon, Staffordshire – a Spaniard and a Canadian.Detectives from the National Police Economic Crime unit carried out the swoop, codenamed Operation Sofia.The four were taken into custody after detectives raided the premises of Onix Office Management in Palma. Police also raided a property in Santa Ponsa on the south-west coast.All four were accused of selling property shares through Onix at six times their real value to 30 victims, mostly British.Mr Charleston was being held in Majorca after appearing before an investigating judge at a closed door hearing. Meese was allowed bail.

Andrew Alderman,one of the10 most-wanted British criminal suspects hiding in southern Spain handed himself in

Andrew Alderman, who was sentenced to 10 years in jail for indecent assault and the rape of a girl under 16, handed himself over to Britain's Consulate General.He is the fourth person on the "most-wanted" list to be tracked down since it was launched two weeks ago."This is excellent news," said Denise Holt, Ambassador to Spain. "This is another good example of the close cooperation between our two countries."Crimestoppers and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) started Operation Captura on November 6, publicising details of suspects they believed were on the run in the Alicante region.Within 24 hours of its launch, two of those on the list, Anthony Kearney and Donna McCafferty, who are both accused of fraud, had been apprehended.A third suspect, Alan Gordon who was wanted for drug offences, was found in prison in Majorca for separate offences he committed in Spain.
Mick Laurie, Crimestoppers' chief executive, said Alderman had been forced to hand himself because of the publicity the scheme had attracted.
"This is yet another great success for Operation Captura. Due to Alderman's face being so widely circulated, the pressure became all too much and he decided to give himself up," Laurie saidAndrew Alderman, 49, from Maidstone, fled this country before he could be sentenced in August 2006 after being convicted of the rape and indecent assault of a 14-year-old girl.He was placed on a list of top ten Most Wanted criminals on the run in Spain earlier this month in a joint operation launched by Crimestoppers and the Serious Organised Crime Agency and an appeal was made to the British ex-pat community on the Costa Blanca to shop him.
As a result of the pressure put on Alderman he handed himself in to the British consul in Madrid at 10am this morning (Tuesday).He will go in front of a Spanish court in the next two weeks before he is sent back to Kent to be re-sentenced.
A judge at Maidstone Crown Court gave him a ten-year prison sentence in his absence, but he is now facing longer behind bars for trying to cheat justice. It is believed he moved between France and Spain to escape capture.His victim’s mother this afternoon said she was struggling to accept that Alderman was in custody after being told by phone 30 minutes after he gave himself up.She said: “I just couldn’t believe it, I keep taking deep breaths and pinching myself to make sure it is all really happening and that I did actually get that call.“I called my daughter straight away to tell her, she just laughed and cried, and kept laughing and crying, it really hasn’t sunk in yet.“It is amazing news, we are going on holiday next week to Tenerife together for the first time since my daughter told me everything, that will be a brilliant way to celebrate.”She added: “When he is back on British soil – I want to see him sent down. I hate him, I will never feel anything but hate for him.”
Detective Inspector David Berry, who worked on the rape case as part of Kent police’s child protection team, said: “This is a major thing and shows other criminals that our police system does work, and that the world is not a small place anymore, it’s harder to hide from justice.
“Being on the Most Wanted list is a huge pressure on someone, and I think he decided he couldn’t hide from it anymore

British man laundering some 200,000 € from the sale of heroin daily

38 people have been arrested across Spain of a gang of drug runners who were allegedly distributing heroin from Turkey though a centre in La Cañada Real in Madrid.The arrests were carried out in Oviedo, Gijón, La Felguera in Asturias, Unquera in Cantabria, Arganda del Rey in Madrid, Sevilla and Fuengirola in Andalucía and El Ferrol in Galicia in an operation which was opened in April.13.5 kilos of heroin, 1.8 kilos of cocaine, more than 14 kilos of material to cut the drugs, money, jewellery and other items have all been recovered. Police say the group was laundering some 200,000 € from the sale of the drug daily using a British man to do so. The others arrested are Spanish, Turkish, Pakistani, Bulgarian and Greek.

Sixteen year old youth was stabbed

sixteen year old youth was stabbed in the early hours of Saturday morning in a street fight on the promenade in Fuengirola. The emergency services received a call at 1.45 a.m. this morning informing them that a young man was lying on the ground with a knife wound which was apparently inflicted during a fight. He was taken to the Costa del Sol hospital in Marbella for treatment.

Sixteen year old youth stabbed

sixteen year old youth was stabbed in the early hours of Saturday morning in a street fight on the promenade in Fuengirola. The emergency services received a call at 1.45 a.m. this morning informing them that a young man was lying on the ground with a knife wound which was apparently inflicted during a fight. He was taken to the Costa del Sol hospital in Marbella for treatment.

Ronald O'Dea, 42, and James McDonald, 39, both of Glasgow, and Stephen Brown, 42, Brian Rawlings, 63, and Debra Learmouth, 45 were arrested

Six people arrested in raids on a suspected drug smuggling gang based in Spain.
Police seized 70kg of speed, thought to be destined for sale in Scotland, after stopping a lorry near Oxford. A Spanish police spokeswoman said the arrests - five in Marbella, southern Spain, and Santa Cruz, Tenerife - followed an intelligence operation which lasted months. Cops seized around £84,000 in euros and £6000 in Scottish banknotes in the Spanish raids. They also confiscated two Ferraris, a Hummer, a Porsche, an Audi Q7 4x4, a BMW, three quad bikes, four jet skis and a 30ft boat. Ronald O'Dea, 42, and James McDonald, 39, both of Glasgow, and Stephen Brown, 42, Brian Rawlings, 63, and Debra Learmouth, 45, all from London, were arrested in the raids in Marbella and Santa Cruz. Trucker Gerard Mooney, of Dublin, was arrested in Oxford.

Fuengirola attempted security van robbery

National Police have arrested six people, four men and two women, from a gang of jewellery thieves who had been acting in Málaga province. The arrests came just as the gang were about to assault a security van in Fuengirola.A police statement that the arrested men were five Argentineans and a Paraguayan and that following two searches a large amount of jewellery had been recovered. The leader of the group has been named with the initials J.F.G. and is known as Joe.The gang has been linked to two violent robberies in Málaga and Torremolinos, but they could later be linked to other incidents. Police investigations were started last September, and it’s thought the gang could also have acted elsewhere in the country. They were professional thieves who planned their operations to the letter.

Jose Ignacio International arrest warrant has been issued for a terrorist from the Basque separatist group ETA who is believed to be in Ireland.

International arrest warrant has been issued for a terrorist from the Basque separatist group ETA who is believed to be in Ireland. The warrant was put out by a Spanish judge today after Jose Ignacio de Juana Chaos failed to appear at the National Criminal Court in Madrid. De Juana was released from prison this summer after serving 21 years for the murder of 25 people in the 1980s. He was due to answer questions from the Spanish judge over an alleged case of exalting terrorism - which is a criminal offence in Spain.

Christopher Wiggins, of Apartment Six, Block 10, Mirador de Costalita, Cancelada, Estepona, Malaga

Christopher Wiggins (42)Philip Doo (52), and David Mufford (44) were brought before a special sitting of Clonakilty District Court on Saturday night amid tight security. A force of up to 30 gardaí, including detectives armed with Uzi submachine guns, surrounded the courthouse.The three men, all from Britain, were charged that on November 5th, 2008, on the vessel Dances with Waves , a ship not registered in any country or territory, they had possession of cocaine knowing it was intended to be imported illegally.The offence, which is contrary to Section 34 (2) (4) of the Criminal Justice Drugs Trafficking Act 1994, carries a maximum penalty upon conviction at Circuit Court level of a a fine or seven years in jail or both.
Det Garda Ronan Cowley of the Garda National Drugs Unit gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Doo, of Rocklands House, Higher Manor Road, Brixham, Devon, and told the court that Mr Doo did not wish to reply to the charge after caution.Det Garda David Kennedy of the Garda National Drugs Unit gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Wiggins, of Apartment Six, Block 10, Mirador de Costalita, Cancelada, Estepona, Malaga.He said Mr Wiggins made no reply to the charge.

Guardia Civil have broken up a car-theft gang suspected of 17 forced robberies in the La Orotava area

The Guardia Civil have broken up a car-theft gang suspected of 17 forced robberies in the La Orotava area. The four arrested, males of 46, 23, 22 and 21, are charged with break-ins to cars and building sites, as well as other burglaries, especially in La Perdoma. Two were caught in the act of a burglary of building materials from a construction site. The arrests follow months of surveillance.

Mark Stephens guilty of conspiring to import 7,100 ecstasy pills and 3 kilogrammes of cocaine

Briton was on Wednesday jailed for 25 years and fined €60,000 after a panel of jurors found him guilty of conspiring to import 7,100 ecstasy pills and 3 kilogrammes of cocaine in 2003. After just over 4 hours deliberating, the jurors returned a guilty verdict of 7 votes to 2, announcing Mark Stephens guilty of conspiring to import 7,100 ecstasy pills and 3 kilogrammes of cocaine in 2003.
Defence counsel Joe Brincat asked the judge to take into consideration the fact that the verdict was not a unanimous one and that Mr Stephens had spent about a year in preventive custody in Spain. Gregory Eyre, a key witness in the trial, was arrested on court orders and investigated on perjury charges after saying one thing during the compilation of evidence and another during the jury trial. Last Monday, he said that Mark Stephens was not his supplier but named another person, Andrew Woodhouse.

Shot two Moroccans in Calle Carretería in Málaga

Police in Málaga have arrested another person in connection with the shooting of two Moroccans in Calle Carretería in Málaga on Tuesday night. Both the victims also face charges. One of the two victims remains in a serious condition in hospital after being shot , while the other has been allowed home. The third arrest is also Moroccan with all three of the men being aged between 26 and 42. Police investigations in the case are ongoing.

Captain was killed in a fight with one of the crew

crew of a Guardia Civil coastal patrol boat has boarded an Italian merchant vessel - the 'Paxi C', sailing from Alexandria (Egypt) to Gijón anchored off Fisterra since its captain was killed in a fight with one of the crew. They were sent to take charge of the investigation after an SOS message sent at 6.20am by the ship's first officer, who was ordered to drop anchor and prepare to be boarded after explaining what had happened.

Ferry from Tangiers seven Portuguese have been arrested

Seven Portuguese have been arrested in Tarifa port after they were found to be carrying a total of 4.2 kilos of hashish hidden in their internally.A statement from the Civil Guard said the group were given a scan when they arrived on a ferry from Tangiers yesterday. 600 small pellets of the drug were found in the travellers aged between 18 and 47.

Gary Dunne,body is being kept under local hygiene laws.

Gary Dunne, 22, was killed by a machete-wielding thug on Spain's Costa del Sol in March 2006. His body is being kept under local hygiene laws. A heartbroken family have won the support of Sports Secretary Andy Burnham in their battle to bring home the body of their murdered son. But Mr Burnham, who has met Gary's parents Stephen and Lesley, told officials in Spain last month: "The return of Gary's body is crucially important to his family." Killer Victor Posse Navas was recently jailed for just nine years after a court heard he was under the influence of drugs.
But Gary's dad Stephen, of Liverpool, said: "Gary is not going to walk in, in nine years and say, 'Hi Dad, fancy a pint?'. Yet his killer will be free by then."
The parents presented a 50,000-strong petition to Downing Street in July.

Double murder and attempted suicide

Two women have been stabbed to death in Abarán, Murcia. Next to the bodies the police found a seriously injured man who was also suffering from stab wounds to his neck. It appears that the man had tried to commit suicide after presumably killing the women.The Guardia Civil say that the 74 year old Spaniard had a sentimental relationship with one of the women, a 40 year old from Honduras, who spent her time looking after the other, a 75 year old Spanish woman.The alleged aggressor is now in a critical condition in hospital in nearby Cieza. There were no previous reports of domestic violence against him. Local Mayor, Antonio Gómez, said the village was considerably upset by what had happened.

Robber has died in a shoot out with police in Seville.

Robber has died in a shoot out with police in Seville. It happened at a supermarket in the Nervión area of the city at 8,30pm on Friday night, and a 54 year old off duty police commissioner was also injured in the groin. Witnesses say the two robbers arrived on a moped which they left with the engine running outside the store. The commissioner was shopping inside with his wife and daughter, and realising that a robbery was underway, tried to intervene. He announced his presence only to see the robbers take out and use their weapons.In the following shoot out, one robber was shot twice and has died, while the other made his escape.

Not guilty.two Romanians and a Moroccan, accused of torturing and killing a German couple in their home in Chilches, Málaga,

Provincial Court in Málaga has found the three men, two Romanians and a Moroccan, accused of torturing and killing a German couple in their home in Chilches, Málaga, not guilty.Inconsistencies in witness statements and the lack of DNA evidence were deciding factors in the verdict.The attack which also saw the theft of 60,000 € and jewellery took place on January 22 2007, and the three accused have been held in prison since then. The group was however found guilty of the theft of a Volkwagan Polo in Granada, and sentenced to 23 months in prison on that charge. Conflicting witness statements as to the presence of that car at the scene of the crime was key to the verdict.