Nerves Of Steal

Bobby Shocks

Police in England launched a crackdown against shoplifters by turning to a new breed of officer -a life-sized cardboard cutout. Thefts dropped from an average of 36 a month to just one after the replica of PC Bob Molloy was put up in shops in Belper, Derbyshire. But just days after police chiefs trumpeted its effectiveness, the figure of the bobby was stolen. The male culprit was captured on CCTV as he strolled out of Long Eaton's Co-op supermarket with the cutout tucked under his arm.

FOOTNOTE: He wasn't cut out to be a cop.