Helpers of Santa Claus chased after failed heist
( 2003-11-25 16:22) (Agencies)
Santa Claus may be known for
generous gift-giving, but people had to chase two of his helpers out of an
Amsterdam post office after they staged a failed heist, a Dutch newspaper said.
Two people dressed up as "Black Pete", a ubiquitous symbol of the Christmas
season in the Netherlands, had queued patiently, but when their turn came, one
ducked behind the post office counter while the other waved "something that
looked like a weapon", the De Telegraaf newspaper reported.
"It isn't clear if they were really armed, but they did have a sack with
them," a police spokesman said.
The heist failed when outraged clients chased off the would-be robbers, who
escaped by bicycle.
The Dutch Santa, Sinterklaas, is usually accompanied by helpers dressed as
"Black Pete", often seen as a Moorish figure like the servants who might have
accompanied the real-life Saint Nicholas, a wealthy bishop from an area that is
today part of Turkey.
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