Egyptian civilians hang two thieves

(AP) — Egyptian security officials say vigilantes beat two alleged thieves, stripped them half-naked and then hung them in public in a small Nile Delta town. Both the men died. The officials say the two men had stolen a rickshaw from a town in the province of Gharbiya. Angry residents in the town of Samanod beat the two suspects and hung them from a tree in a bus station on Sunday. officials say residents who tried to help free the two men were pushed back by others in a crowd. Thousands of Egyptian policemen are on strike, prompting the attorney general last week to release a statement encouraging citizen arrests. Similar attacks have happened elsewhere in Egypt, where security has deteriorated since the uprising two years ago.