Thieves snatched two computers from a Hong Kong trade fair, a particularly brazen act considering that the victims were security companies showing off the latest crime-stopping technology.

The thieves stole two laptop computers worth $2,500 from the Asia Securitex 2004 trade show on Wednesday, police spokeswoman Carrie So said.

"If you can't expect good security here, where can you expect it?" exhibitor Shinah Lunty was quoted as saying in the South China Morning Post newspaper. Lunty told the newspaper that her mobile phone, worth $260, was also stolen.

A bugle-breaking Arkansas youngster is having his PS2 cruelly taken away from him and auctioned on the ever-popular eBay.

It all started when the 13 year old decided to cost his parents a fortune: the sassy kid had stolen his Dad's precious beer, broken his mother's bugle and glugged down a 120 dollar bottle of champagne. Ouch.

Never before had eBay made for such effective punishment – the kid's parents being borderline sadistic, if you ask me. The mother, who set up the auction, favours a bright red bold font, and makes a point of telling us how "beloved" the item is.

The system is obviously well used, and comes with two control pads – an official Sony pad and a tricksy third party one too.

Switzerland's police latest annual report on money laundering in the country outlines some of the amazing Internet scams that have managed to fool investors in that country over the past year. Chief among these cases is the 'Nigerian letter' case, during which, despite warnings about the scam, an investor ended up sending about $115,000 to Nigeria over a period of time, where it promptly disappeared.

In the case, a money transmitter, following the country's anti-money laundering procedures, asked a Swiss national why he had transferred about $100,000 to various recipients in Nigeria. The sender explained that he had invested the money into an oil company based in West Africa and that he soon expected high returns. Following a check of the documents provided by the client, the money transmitter told him he was sure he had been the victim of Nigerian swindlers.

Six months later another money transmitter reported the same Swiss national to the money laundering reporting office because he had again transferred another $38.000 to Nigeria.

A US woman has been charged with forgery after trying to use a fake $1 million bill at a supermarket.

Alice Pike, 35, pulled out the note at a Georgia Wal-Mart store to pay for $1,672 worth of goods and asked for change, police said.

The cashier immediately noticed the bill - bearing the picture of the Statue of Liberty - was fake and called her manager who alerted the police.

"This is the first time in my law enforcement career I've seen someone trying to use a $1 million bill," local police chief Almond Turner was quoted as saying by the Houston Chronicle newspaper.

A man is selling what he claims is a genuine Windows XP folder on Ebay.

He says that he created it on the 24th of January but he no longer requires it. The folder is in mint condition and has never been used.

So it's in "immaculate condition".

Until Ebay wakes up and dumps it, we suspect.

Police in Germany have arrested a shopper who tried to get a refund on two computers after allegedly replacing the working parts with potatoes.

Staff at the department store in Kaiserslautern called detectives after the man complained that a machine he'd bought only hours before did not work.

When they opened the computer they found it stuffed full of potatoes. The Guardian reports bemused shop assistants gave the man a new machine free of charge.

But they became suspicious when the customer returned a short time later with another computer - again filled with potatoes.

A spokesman said: "The second time he said he didn't need a computer any more and asked for his money back in cash."

Computer technician Roman Zukoan said: "It is hard to imagine how the potatoes could get into a computer's casing. When computers leave the factory they are packed in plastic to prevent damage from condensation.

If they are running for a long time they get hot and in theory it would be possible to cook a potato in a computer, but who would try that?"

Burger King customers visiting a drive-through restaurant had to run a gamut of abuse after pranksters succeeded in hacking into the outlet's wireless intercom system.

Investigators believe teenage practical jokers are behind the insults delivered to Burger King customers at an outlet outside Troy, Michigan over the last fortnight.

Officer Gerry Scherlink told reporters that one customer was told "You don't need a couple of Whoppers. You are too fat. Pull ahead."