Vigilantes step in as fear and looting hit Cairo

Armed with iron bars, broom handles and pistols, men and boys huddled in twitchy groups in front of their shops and homes as looters rampaged through the riot-torn Egyptian capital on Saturday.

Beware of strangers skittering through the city's darkened night, where the army has been called out in a bid to quell massive a anti-regime revolt but has admitted it is unable to keep control beyond a few key sites.