Article: Disneyfied Crook Ducks German Police Dragnet; Dreaded `Dagobert' Spawns Cult Following

He may be the most ingenious crook since the Penguin tormented Batman, an extortionist-turned-folk hero who specializes in electronic wizardry, narrow escapes and duping the authorities.

For 20 months he has baffled police - and captivated the German public - with fiendishly clever plots that involve blowing up department stores whenever his demands for an $800,000 payoff are not met. His inspiration - and perhaps some of his schemes - appear to be drawn from Walt Disney comic books, specifically those featuring Donald Duck's tightfisted trillionaire uncle, Scrooge McDuck; hence the culprit's chosen nom de guerre, "Dagobert," the German name for the comic character.

Police have tried 17 ...

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