Tourist bosses launch ‘gunpoint’ robberies

Tourism bosses in Argentina are reportedly putting on “fake” train robberies in the region where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid lived after they fled the United States. According to the Ananova website, the tourist board in the south-western city of Esquel are hoping that the initiative will attract more people to board the famous Patagonia Express train. The website says that passengers are forced to hand over jewellery and cash at gunpoint (not loaded) and only discover that the raid is a hoax afterwards. The first raid reportedly took place several days ago, involving 15 masked men on horseback. A spokesman for the tourist board is quoted as saying: “We want to mimic the legendary train robberies. Even though people are caught by surprise, nothing serious happens because we cautiously monitor the situation.”