Elderly Shoplifters on the rise in Japan

You would not believe the trouble I got into for suggesting this might happen 15 years ago, when the demographics were quite clear...ah me...be a crimnologist and never a futorologist! The piece can still be viewed on the web

Gang Warfare in Limerick

Same depressing story as Liverpool or any of the increasingly mean cities of the world...Is there a strategy out there for dealing with it?

Security chiefs fear 70 style violence

Article really says that intelligence chiefs have to plan how to cope with a similar attack on a city for which they are responsible. It isnt yet clear how many gunmen there were, after all.

Use leverage to attack corruption before accession say experts

I hear there is EU money available for teaching your granny to suck eggs....

Bulgaria bitter over Brussels decision on graft

Oops...Bulgarian politicians shocked at losing EU aid because theyre so corrupt! The rest of us are shocked to discover the Commission has teeth!

The Risk of Piracy, Chechen-style

Yulia Latynina has a completely different take on just about everything. But what if she's right? Insurgents begin as benevolent...then realise they can make money...then acquire an ideology to legitimise killing and stealing...and what a punchline:
"The United States always hopes for the best and ends up with the worst"

Militants claim shooting of Vldikavkaz mayor

Just in case we forget...There are still odd things going on down in the Caucasus too. But no UK citizens are involved, so don't expect to read too much about them!

Calderon reconoce que la mitad de los policias mexicanos son "no recomendables"

Something needs to be done about the Mexican police!

A Renewed Focus on Abductions

Comments on kidnapping gangs in Mexico and possible police involvement

Characteristics of plot suggest attackers were trained outside India, analysts say

Washington Post overviews analysts and appears to disagree with Murdoch Press

India cannot pin all the blame on outsiders

Dear me! i forgot the Murdoch Press. Heres the Times guest columnist, Maria Misra. Article stresses the multifarious nature of recent terrorism in India and warns of Hindu extremism too.

The terrorists' tactics in Mumbai

Telegraph article, suggesting that the attack was an example of ghazwa plus tabarra. Thoughtful article by Amir Tahen, trying to take a jihadist perspective on events in Mumbai and the thoughts in the planners' minds.

The truth about prostitution in Britain

Big feature on the sex industry in the UK by the Independent. Not as much on organised crime as there might be. Theres inklings of a debate and figures at the end of the piece

Mumbai attacks show method

Piece argues that the "frontal assault" approach is derived from Kashmiri groups. Terrorism in India has previously involved timed explosives

Seven face life sentences for Hells Angel murder

Another feud that will run and run. Its important to try and understand motivation and history here. Then the economics, which are massively important for motorcycle gangs elsewhere in the world.

They were in no hurry. Cool and composed, they killed and killed

Beginnings of the story emerging. Map here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2008/nov/27/india-terrorism

I promise I will move on to other media in a moment!

Somali Pirates Hijack Chemical Tanker

Two British security guards on board, so this will get exposure in the UK media. Ah! They jumped overboard: http://tinyurl.com/6kp6gu. That's OK then

Claims emerge of British Terrorists in Mumbai

Dangerous to jump to conclusions, but a lot of people are!

Smugglers Run Rife in Transdnestria

Im not sure that this is the correct name for this enclave any more. The reporter seems unaware that there is a major EU confidence-building programme under way. Your blogger would be participating, but for his broken wrist! For those interested, the bones are finally in the right place and a time frame for recovery has begun!

What do the Mumbai attacks mean globally

Interesting piece by Jason Burke. I will add more pieces of analysis as they turn up. The figure of 2,700 dead in terrorist attacks in India last year is a particularly significant one.

Hezbollah's Youth Movement

Fascinating article from New York Times, one of a series on youth movements. Describes some of the different structures that make up Hezbollah.

Israeli Mob Swears Vengeance as it Buries Boss

Sounds like there is going to be a vendetta, which may reach outside Israel's borders.

Pirates Strike Again

7 successful hijackings in 12 days as well as several failed attempts. Somalia becoming a major problem in several ways, with Islamic militants on the rise elsewhere. Time for some self-proclaimed state-building experts to emerge?

Cocaine Users are Destroying the Rainforest

This is an original line to take against the recreational user. There have been a number of items from this conference worth posting, so I will see what I can find for your delectation.

How Fraudsters found bigger "phish" to fry

Read this article in FT on paper version yesterday. Website being restructured, so cant get into it to provide a direct link, but its an excellent piece on targetted phishing. You need to register with FT to read it. Will try to get proper link next week when site reconstruction complete

Court Ignores Prosecutors, Bulbov Still in Jail

Update in Moscow Times on clan warfare in the Russian security services. Depressing stuff for anyone hoping for the Rule of Law to be established in Russia.

Catching up with the "internet pimps"

Trial report marking end of "Operation Gib". Nine people from Thailand jailed.

report on Europol from House of Lords Committee

These reports are worth reading. About the only stuff from the UK on European issues that is!

Surprise surprise, the UK database is not compatible with Europol's. What they don't say is just how incredible this is, as Europol's is based on Windows architecture. Your blogger wrote a piece on this some years ago. the BBC piece doesnt mention the legal obstacles to data sharing. I would suspect the full report does. Ah Europe! It doth make idiots of so many otherwise rational Brits.

A Senior Fellow at the Institute of Non-Existence

A cautionary tale for all bloggers and surfers...A fake expert with a real name. Sarah Palin may have been wrongly accused on Africa.

Colombians Riot over Pyramid Scam

Article seems to say that bank charges are so high, pyramid schemes appear attractive...

Spam Plummets as Gang leaves Net

ISPs pull plug on McColo, but effect unlikely to last.

Spy in the Sky leads police to stolen JCB on European Tour

Tracking device leads to return of digger stolen in Durham and found in the Netherlands after a brief visit to Germany. it would be interesting to know more about the structure of the "gang" of international machinery thieves. One for Klaus von Lampe, I believe!

Human Trafficking Unit to Disband

Hmmm...Cui bono? Home Office argues this is core police business and all comstabularies should be fighting it. Others argue for a specialised unit. But why in the Met rather than SOCA? Going to be a few more clashes of interest like this. Where are the political voices? Carousing drunkenly in the background?

Ah well, what else would you expect from a country that hasnt done anything about implementing the OECD Convention on Corruption?

Shining Path returns

Change in ideology leads to resurgence in Peru. But it is also claimed that survival is linked to cooperation with drug traffickers. New leadership opposes Guzman and "Gang of four" style ideology. We shall see what emerges from the altiplano.

Mafia boosted by credit crisis

Small businesses forced to borrow from Mafia loan sharks

Thieves Steal Village Church Brick by Brick

I only include this because Russian criminal entrepeneurship has a habit of creeping West...

17 held as police smash drug-smuggling gangs

Kent, South London and Teesside arrests. Drugs, money-laundering and mortgage fraud the offences involved, smuggling involved Spain and France. Prosecution will be interesting.

Sheep Rustlers Ride Again

Independent on Sunday article. Regular readers will know this is our third piece in recent weeks....Mischief-making journalism? Or a trend. You work out how much content there is in this piece

Obama backs crackdown on tax havens

Or does he? Point of article appears to be yet another Guardian angle attack on Brown for being a "light touch" regulator. Another bit of journalistic undergrowth beating, but one that might turn out to have a pheasant somewhere in it.

Credit Crunch Sheep Rustling

This is the main story in the Western Morning News, the South West Region's paper! Its Christmas, so out come the rustlers. Sorry for the up and down appearance of the blog at the moment. Your blogger has broken his arm again. Second time this year.

Terrorism Financing Blacklists at Risk

Article is more about the lack of legality of the blacklist approach. There needs to be a clear procedure for de-listing and an opportunity for individuals and companies to know of what they are accused. The relevant decisions of the European Court of Justice were linked by this blog when they were first made.

Top Mexico police chief resigns over drug cartel allegations

Unusual for someone to resign, especially since allegations seem to originate from rival gangs of traffickers. Wonder what the back story is.

MP Peter Kilfoyle: John Haase told me he bribed Michael Howard

This story was in Friday's Liverpool Echo. I only saw it because I was looking for news of the Everton team for Saturday. It didnt make any of the posh papers, so it can't be important or true...

The gigolo, the German heiress and a £6m revenge for her Nazi legacy

This will make a great film. The BMW heiress and a greedy con man. The Independent must be the last UK newspaper to be keeping the crime stories going.

Drug Smuggler Acquitted for third time in a decade

We will have to wait for Private Eye to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s on this one. Curtis Warren's name mentioned in the article.