A village in Bangladesh which is said to be populated by hundreds of thieves has been cordoned off by police.
The authorities claim that Jahanpur has been home to professional criminals for about 150 years.
According to the Bangladesh Daily Starthe voters' list describes the villagers' occupation as "theft".
A police spokesman said: "These people do not know about any other means of livelihood."
But he said some seemed willing to mend their ways and find lawful work.
Local politicians demanded the eviction of the "traditional thieves of Jahanpur village" and called for their "social boycott".
The region's Crime Control Committee announced that anyone from the 27 villages in the area found maintaining links with Jahanpur would face social boycott and be made to pay a fine of £115.
A police contingent has been guarding the village to stop anyone leaving. Heads of the 52 families suspected of being professional thieves have to appear at the police camp each day to prove they haven't escaped.
The government hopes to rehabilitate the families by moving them to another part of Bangladesh soon. There have been fears that lack of food could lead to starvation.
PA