European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 b the stars and stripes sunday August 25, 1991u.s. Nabs Panama ship for fuel fraud Anchorage Alaska up . Marshals have seized a panamanian freighter whose Crew allegedly stole thousands of Gallons of fuel while transporting ammunition to . Forces participating in operation desert storm authorities said. None of the Crew members however has been arrested. A Federal warrant alleged the 512-foot an Angl Leader stole the fuel while under charter to the military sea lift come earlier this year during ammunition deliveries . Marshal John Mckay said. The vessel owned by Alpha Venus enterprises of Panama had sailed from Yokohama Japan when it was seized wednesday night in the Southeast Alaska port of Ketchikan where it was to have picked up pulp from a Mill. The vessel carried 15 crewmen and seven officers All of them greek and burmese Mckay said. He said a translator was employed to explain to the Crew the reason for the ships seizure but that they were not under arrest. The ship one of about 100 chartered in the massive sea lift of supplies to saudi Arabia picked up ammunition for . Troops Jan. 9 in Wilmington n.c., Marge Holtz a spokeswoman for the military sea lift come said from Washington. She said the ship returned May 14 from saudi Arabia loaded with cargo which was unloaded at the sunny Point military Ocean terminal in North Carolina the ship then apparently left . Waters until reappearing in Alaska last week. A the Federal warrant issued by the . Attorneys office in Raleigh n.c., it Ltd v urn if hmm the 512-foot an Angl Leader lies anchored at Ketchikan Alaska following its seizure by Federal authorities on wednesday. A sought the seizure of the vessel under civil forfeiture statutes and a civil complaint alleging fraud. Assistant . Attorney Bob Potter in Raleigh declined to comment on the Case. Holtz also declined to discuss the allegations Mckay said he was instructed to keep documents in the Case secret. However Mckay said the charges allege the ship and its Crew Defru funded the government of 61,740 Gallons of fuel Worth roughly $60,000. The an Angl apparently obtained More fuel from the government for its chartered voyages than it required Mckay said. According to Mckay Anangelo Crew members apparently engaged in a practice called a Short taping a which can involve plugging fuel tank sounding tubes to Inake a ships fuel level appear lower than it is. The method would produce false Low fuel readings showing that a vessel used More fuel than it did and therefore was entitled to a bigger fuel reimbursement from the government than would be made for an accurate accounting of fuel used. Spot checking uncovers this kind of activity Holtz said. Although the alleged acts occurred when the vessel was under contract to the military sea lift come from january to mid May for desert shield and desert storm deliveries that was an extremely Busy time for the military and it was Only later that evidence came to Light. By then the vessel apparently had left american Waters officials  cleared in gentleman Bandit probe Houston up a prosecutors have dropped robbery charges against a Salesman who had been accused of being the a gentleman Bandit believed responsible for More than 100 holdups in Texas and Louisiana. Mike Harvey was arrested at his Cibolo Home near san Antonio on june 28 and was jailed 11 Days until a judge reduced his $200,000 Bond. Harvey has maintained his innocence and provided officials with a series of alibis for dates the robberies occurred. A this alibis checked out and we re considering another suspect a said assistant District attorney Bill Hawkins. Harvey still faces robbery charges in Lafayette and Baton Rouge la., where officials have refused to drop cases until Harvey appears in lineups. Stan Schneider Harvey a attorney said he expects the Louisiana charges also to be dropped. A we examined 17 different robberies on 17 different Dales and we have been Able to account for where Mike Harvey was in each Case a Schneider said. Five of those robberies took place in Louisiana and 12 in Houston the a gentleman Bandit is suspected of robbing More than 100 salesmen at hotels in Texas and Louisiana Between May 1989 and july 1991. The thief got his nickname because he was polite to his victims and often apologized for robbing them. Robert Jones a Weatherford businessman who was among the bandits victims said the Man gained Entrance to his hotel room and tied his hands and feet with a Necktie and strips of Towel. The Bandit then took $600 from Jones Wallet and began going through the other contents. A i asked him to let me keep the pictures of my wife and kids a Jones said. A the just said a of i  take anything personal a like he was offended. All the time he kept asking me if the knots were too tight or if i was  although the Bandit brandished a gun Jones said he showed him the weapon was not loaded before  family s plight blamed on drug dealers Chicago up a Man says he and his family have been run out of the apartment building he owns by a drug Selling gang that has taken Over his neighbourhood. Legustus Mcdonald 50, said Friday the ordeal began in May when he rented an apartment to a woman and her four children. He said shortly thereafter drug trafficking began from the apartment and now Mcdonald finds himself sleeping in his Van because of threats. His wife and five children Are slaying with relatives. A drugs have been sold on Corners in this area for years Quot Mcdonald said a i was surprised to find the Young men on the Corner were suddenly coming to my  Mcdonald said he asked the woman to move out but she refused and stopped paying her rent. Alter he took her to housing court he said she threatened to blow up the build ing and have Hirisi killed. Mcdonald also reported his apartment burglarized in july and on aug. 3 a group of men ordered him to leave his building a for suffer the  Mcdonald said though he has a court order ordering the woman to leave he cannot afford the $224 he must pay the sheriffs to evict her. Mcdonald said he asked police prosecutors his aldermen and even Federal authorities for help but to no Avail. A Community group a Campaign for a drug free West Side a planned a March on Mcdonald a Block in a bid to drum up neighbourhood efforts to oust the traffickers. A 39-year-old woman who has lived on the Block for 10 years said it Quot hurts to Sec this happening. Quot it makes me angry a the woman said. A you wonder How Law enforcement agencies let it get this  attack kills Bandit during restaurant heist san Antonio apr an armed robber died of an apparent heart attack that struck while he was scooping Money from a restaurant Safe but his compatriots still made off with the loot police said. Rudolfo Naranjo 49, was dead on arrival at Baptist medical Center thursday night after he was stricken during a robbery at the Bill Miller Barb a restaurant police said. An autopsy was planned. The Man collapsed clutching a gun in one hand and reaching into the Safe with the other police said. Policki said Naranjo entered the restaurant with two other men. One walked to the front of the restaurant while the Man identified As Naranjo forced the manager at gunpoint into the restaurant office. The third kept watch on counter employees police said. A a the Man holding the gun started tearing the office apart asking for Money Quot said restaurant manager Alfred Martinez. A then he noticed the Safe on the  Martinez said the gunman ordered him to open the Safe then Knelt and stuck his Arm inside. A fall of a sudden he stopped a Martinez said. A there Are some steel Teeth inside the Safe so i thought he got  the other thieves entered the office and told their companion to hurry police said. A they went Over to him and noticed he was out a said detective Sissy Kokal. A they dragged him As far As the Back door then grabbed his gun and told the employees to Calls for an ambulance. The men grabbed the gun and a Money bag containing about $60 from their stricken companion and fled. The other men were unarmed police said