"Italy's 'AIDS Gang' Has Imitators"

Reuters (08/26/95)

Police announced on Saturday that a second group of men claiming

to be in the final stages of AIDS had been arrested after a

robbery in Turin. "The AIDS gang has been successfully cloned,"

noted the city's daily La Stampa. Antonio Lamarra, a member of

the original gang, said that the imitators should stop because

"ours was a provocative gesture...If everyone who is terminally

ill starts committing robberies it will be mayhem." The

so-called AIDS gang robbed banks without concern because of a

1993 Italian law which prevents people in the final stages of a

terminal illness from being imprisoned. Unlike the original AIDS

gang, which successfully made off with the money, the second

group left empty-handed when a security device inside the bag of

money went off, covering the bank notes in red dye. The three

suspects were being held in prison over the weekend while

inquiries were made to see if they actually have advanced AIDS.

--- MMMR v4.10c beta