Note to bike thieves: Avoid Burundi

There's been an increasing number of motorcycle thefts here in Japan, mainly of expensive Harley-Davidsons.

Bikes are simply scooped up off the street by professional theft rings for sale elsewhere in Asia. It's seen as a low-risk, high-reward crime.

Not in Burundi, though:

Suspected motorcycle thieves burned alive
Bujumbura, Burundi
15 February 2005

Two suspected motorcycle taxi thieves were burned alive and killed on Tuesday in a busy section of the Burundian capital, witnesses said.

The two men, who had allegedly recently stolen a motorbike in Bujumbura, were chased down by dozens of enraged motorcycle taxi drivers.

The drivers then "necklaced" the men by placing gasoline-filled tires around their necks and setting them ablaze, the witnesses said.

"We have just finished off these two robbers as an example," one of the drivers who participated said. "These motorbike thieves must stop."

Don't worry, guy -- I have a feeling they will.

FOLLOW-UP:
If you want a more peaceful means of dealing with bike thieves, LoJack has announced LoJack for Motorcycles, a new version of the company's global stolen vehicle recovery system.