WhiteBoard News for Wednesday, March 5, 2003
Holedec na Lounsku, Czech Republic (Ananova):
A Czech cat lover has turned the tables on dog owners by buying a pet lion that he takes for a walk.
Jaroslav Kana bought Leon as a cub, and says his pet has given many a dog a fright as he walks him around the town centre and local parks twice a day.
Mr Kana said: "Dogs catch his scent and come running round the corner of the street dragging their owners, but then they stare Leon in the face, turn round and head back the other way even faster.
"Leon just starts roaring and pawing the ground as if he's about to spring loose, but that's because he wants to play with the dogs.
"But I don't think the owners are too sure, so I just have to make sure I keep him on a tight lead.
"I love dogs as well and Leon would never hurt them. He's just a big pussycat really. It's also good to turn the tables on the dogs for a change, they never show any mercy when chasing cats."
Leon is now taken for granted by locals in the town of Holedec na Lounsku in the Czech Republic. Mr Kana even leaves him tied up outside the local supermarket when he does his shopping.
He bought Leon from a private breeder in the south Czech town of Ceske Budejovice, and is allowed to walk him as laws regarding the keeping of such animals are far looser in most eastern European countries.
Mr Kana said: "He loves whipped cream and is only interested in waiting until I come out of the supermarket with a fresh helping, just like any pussycat really.
"He developed a sweet tooth when he was growing up and he just loves it. Leon's no bother to anyone when he goes out."
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Zwolle, Netherlands (Algemeen Dagblad):
Police forced a Dutch thief to vomit so they could recover two stolen gold rings he had swallowed.
The 27-year-old has been charged with robbing them from a shop in Zwolle. The shopkeeper there was threatened with an axe.
Police arrested him but could find no trace of the rings so they had him x-rayed, reports Algemeen Dagblad.
A doctor told police officers he could clearly see the rings in his stomach and gave him a solution to make him vomit.
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Erpfendorf, Austria (Ananova):
A woman who reported a pair of expensive ski trousers stolen forgot to take them off before going to the police station.
She had hoped to claim back the insurance.
The 23-year-old from Holland was on holiday in Austria when she tried to make her claim.
She told police in Erpfendorf in Tyrol that her skis and ski-wear had been stolen.
But she confessed to attempted fraud after police officers pointed out that she was wearing them.
She told police: "I was so nervous about making the claim that I forgot to take the trousers off. I wanted the insurance money for university."
The case has been handed over to the Erpfendorf public prosecutor who will decide whether to press charges for attempted fraud.
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Berlin, Germany (Reuters):
A 61-year-old German man has been robbed twice in five minutes in the western town of Herne, local police say.
The man first had his mobile phone stolen at a petrol station by youths who then fled.
When he pursued the thieves on foot, a passing car with three men claiming to be plain-clothes police stopped him, searched him and drove off with his wallet.
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Chow
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