Mini-Me, Maxi-Theft

We swear we are not making this up. We have a link and everything. Swedish police are warning that dwarfs are rampaging through the luggage compartments of long-distance passenger buses then zipping themselves back into a suitcase with their loot.

Honest. Here's the link.

Criminal gangs are using dwarves in a ruse to steal from the luggage holds of long-distance coaches, by hiding them inside suitcases, according to police.

The bizarre crime is on the rise in Sweden and officers say thieves have got away with thousands of pounds in cash, jewellery and other valuables in recent months.

Gangs are said to sneak the dwarves into the luggage hold, hidden inside baggage.

Then, once the journey has begun, the stowaways are free to rifle through the bags of other passengers without fear of being apprehended.

Before the coach arrives at its destination the dwarves take their loot back into their suitcase, zip themselves inside and wait to be collected by their partners in crime.

Swebus, which takes thousands of British tourists on holiday across Sweden, is among the coach firms targeted.

Imagine the surprise if the diminutive thief gets in the wrong bag and an unsuspecting person opens it. Even worse, wait until the gnomes and the brownies get in on the act. It'll be a miniature crime wave.