Other thieves hack their way up the vertebral column in pursuit of the skull, the most prized body part.

NEWYORKER: Bones of Contention

In a move with implications for the sale of T-bone steaks, he said he would make a proposal in the coming weeks, sticking "as closely as possible" to scientific advice that the vertebral column should be removed in countries where it could be shown that a ban on meat-based animal feed was not strictly enforced.

CNN: BSE scare threatens EU budget