Man forced to wear `thief` sign

Man forced to wear `thief` sign	30.09.2008
A BRITISH businessman was arrested after parading an employee he suspected of stealing along a busy street with a sign saying "thief" around his neck. Simon Cremer, who runs a carpet fitting business in Witham, Essex, marched employee Mark Gilbert to the local police station wearing a cardboard sign saying: "Thief, I stole £845 ($1900), am on my way to the police station." But Mr Cremer`s attempt to shame Mr Gilbert backfired when he was arrested on suspicion of assault, false imprisonment and theft, Britain`s The Daily Telegraph reported. An Essex police spokesman told the newspaper: "It is important to remember that people are innocent until proven guilty in court." Mr Gilbert was arrested on suspicion of theft but has not been charged. Mr Cremer, 44, alleged the 39-year-old carpet fitter had stolen a business cheque, forged his signature and cashed it. Mr Gilbert was apprehended by Mr Cremer and three other fitters before having his hands tied and being driven to the shopping street where he was paraded, the newspaper said. The three other men were also arrested over the incident. No charges have been laid, and all five men were granted bail until late November. Share this article Digg this Post to del.icio.us Post to Newsvine Post to Facebook Add to kwoff RSS What is this? NEWS.com.au is not responsible for the content of external sites. Share stories with friends in a click. Get your favourite NEWS.com.au content on your social networking profile. MySpace widget Facebook application Today`s Top Picks Bloodbath after bailout blocked AUSTRALIA`S market has been sucked into the vortex of global financial crisis after the Bush bailout plan for Wall St failed. Mayhem: Glasses becoming pub weapon of choice Safety: Qantas bleeds after watchdog savaging Climate: Rudd advisor toughens carbon cut goals Font size: +- Send this article:Print Email Search for more stories on this topic on Newstext, our news archive service. Click here Most Popular Blogs More Most Popular 1. Aussie shares in $55bn nosedive 2. Calls for Palin to quit race 3. Market meltdown: where to now? 4. Pub glasses becoming `weapon of choice` 5. Family Guy death sex scandal 6. Ledger`s daughter `cheated out of $12m` 7. Demi Moore sues New Idea 8. Student sees red over school hair ban 9. Today Tonight all White on the night 10. Family may sell home to find daughter 1. Stig it up your exhaust 2. Update I’m worried about dating a g... 3. I’m off for a week 4. Sometimes surely a girl just wants to f 5. So who won the presidential debate? 6. Playing defence to market turmoil 7. MacChat When your Mac is virtually a PC 8. A grim fairy tale indeed 9. A pants man and proud of it 10. Olympic facts you may not know Also in Europe New York: Greatest movie characters named London: Shocking x-ray shows knife in head London: Minogue shoots comedy scenes London: Man strangled former colleague in office London: Man forced to wear `thief` sign London: Spy camera with terror secrets on sale London: Naked dunny dummy up for top art prize London: Priest jailed after web unites victims Video Watch this Video NOW! Paul Newman tributes flow in RUSSELL Crow and Leonardo DiCaprio describe the actor as the ultimate role model and icon. Latest videos Taken Out host`s dating tips A380 touches down in Sydney How to pour the perfect beer Discover what the future holds More Video Blogroll Ask Bossy Bossy update: I called the one-armed man... Blogocracy: It`s hello and goodbye from me Jack Marx Live: A grim footy finals fairytale Splat!:Can smoking dope win you an election? Money Stuff:Pollies put on notice by grey power MacChat: When your Mac is virtually a PC Squanderlust: Spendaholic finishes her mission ] Advertisement Tools Receive our news feed What is RSS? Receive our email newsletter Send us your news photos Send us your story tips News on your mobile Help\| Contact Us\| Advertise with Us\| Job Opportunities\| Terms & Conditions\| Privacy Policy\| Accessibility\| Sitemap\| News Headlines from Our Partners Copyright 2008 News Limited. All times AEST (GMT +10).

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Hurricane Ike could leave 13 million without power
Expected to be almost as bad as Hurricane Katrina
In pictures: Hurricane Ike approaches Texas

HURRICANE Ike is bearing down on the coast of Texas, driving a wall of water into seaside communities and threatening catastrophic damage all the way up to Houston.

In what may be the worst storm to hit Texas in nearly 50 years, Ike`s centre was within hours of overwhelming low-lying areas near Houston with a possible 20-foot (6-metre) storm surge.

High winds and rain lashed the coast, sending huge waves crashing against a 17-foot (5-metre) sea wall built to protect the port of Galveston after a hurricane in 1900 killed at least 8000 people in the deadliest weather disaster in US history.

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The National Weather Service warned that people in coastal areas could "face the possibility of death" and officials said Ike could flood as many as 100,000 homes and send a storm wave across 100 miles (180 km) of US coastline.

"Our nation is facing what is by any means a potentially catastrophic hurricane," said US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, warning that the storm surge could present the gravest danger.

"This certainly falls in the category of pretty much a worst case scenario," he said.

Crude oil markets nervously watched to see if Ike would swamp low-lying coastal refineries in its path that collectively process 20 percent of U.S. fuel supplies.

Ike`s ferocity surprised many just 11 days after Hurricane Gustav forced 2 million people to flee the Louisiana coast, but largely spared New Orleans.

Some 600,000 people left low lying Texas counties under mandatory evacuation orders, but some who thought they would stick it out made a last-minute exit from Galveston.

"When I woke up, my bed was floating in the house," said David Daubuisson, a handyman who narrowly escaped from his home in Bayou Vista.

"I just took what I could and got out."

Ike was a Category 2 storm with 110 mph (175 kph) winds as it moved on a course to pass directly over Houston - the fourth-largest city in the United States.

The storm is expected to come ashore this afternoon, possibly as a dangerous Category 3 hurricane on the five-step intensity scale with winds of more than 111 mph (178 kph), the National Hurricane Centre said.

13 million could be without power

About 13 million people in 132 counties along the Gulf coast could face hurricane and tropical storm conditions, the US National Census Bureau said.

Millions of residents could be left without power, authorities said. A dawn-to-dusk curfew was laid down in evacuated areas around Houston.

The Coast Guard had to rescue 65 people from rising waters on the the Bolivar Peninsula, east of Galveston.

US crude oil futures rose 31 cents to settle at $US101.18 a barrel after dropping below $US100 for the first time since early April as concerns over US economic weakness outweighed storm disruption fears.

Ports were closed and the Coast Guard said a 584-foot (178-metre) freighter with 22 people aboard was stranded without power 90 miles (145 km) southeast of Galveston. Conditions were too treacherous to attempt a rescue.

Huge wave of water

The storm`s wide reach means that it will pack an unusually strong punch, taking the form of a huge wave of water it is pushing ahead of it.

"This is a Category 5 hurricane," said Jeff Masters, co-founder of meteorological Web site The Weather Underground.

"I don`t care what the Category 2 rating says," he said. Category 5 storms are the most dangerous.

The storm surge could push as far inland as NASA`s Johnson Space Center south of Houston, Mr Masters said.

Houston airports were closed and hotels were jammed with those seeking shelter.

Ike could be the third-most damaging storm in US history behind Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew in 1992, experts said.

Risk Management Solutions pegged the value of insured property in the Houston area at nearly $US1 trillion, including the city`s port - the nation`s second busiest.

Katrina devastated New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast in August 2005, killing 1500 people and causing at least $US81 billion in damage.

The costliest storm in US history, Katrina also damaged President George W. Bush`s standing and his administration was heavily criticised for its slow response to the disaster.

- Additional reporting by Anna Driver, Eileen O`Grady, Erwin Seba and Bruce Nichols