/ 6 June 2008

Naked man causes commotion in Bloemfontein

A suspected thief caused a commotion when he took off all his clothes — after being caught by security guards — in a Bloemfontein state building, the Volksblad newspaper reported on Friday.

Officials of the department of public works, roads and transport said the 27-year-old, naked man had been very drunk when he cried and wrestled with security guards in the foyer of the Medfontein building.

Officials were shaken about what had happened in the foyer on Wednesday.

”When I saw it, I went to sit in my office immediately. What would I want to see?” a woman official, who wanted to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying.

Another woman reportedly said: ”He was a block of a man. What would you do if he stormed at you?”

Apparently the man — together with an accomplice — entered the building under the pretext of wanting to use the bathroom.

When they came out of the bathroom, they went into an official’s office.

The official was not in the office at the time as she was making photocopies.

When she returned, the two alleged robbers shouted to one another and fled with money stolen from her purse, the report said.

One of them escaped, but the other was caught by officials and security guards.

The naked man reportedly cried and wrestled with the security guards during the incident.

Police said the man was expected to appear in court on Monday on a charge of robbery.

He was dressed again when police arrived on the scene. – Sapa