A shopping center in Wuchang, central China's Hubei Province, photographed 12 "thieves" who stole commodities and posted their photos on a bulletin board.

The eye-catching bulletin board stands at the entrance to the underground supermarket at Luxiang Square in downtown Wuchang, the Chutian Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

In the pictures, the wanted men hold a sign saying "thief" or "stealing," the report said.

Their eyes are covered by a black bar, but their identities could be determined.

A notice says the alleged thieves are not welcome in the Luxiang Square.

A teacher from the local Central China University of Science and Technology said thieves deserved punishment but said the practice of posting photos made customers uncomfortable.

The board was set up last Friday by the square's security department. A security manager told the newspaper that the aim is to warn thieves and make the public cautious.

Some lawyers said the billboards shouldn't label the men thieves, as they have not been convicted.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2006)