Thieves Beware : People See You

Lesson 33

                      Thieves Beware : People See You

                                       Text A

    Each year car theft costs us about ￡300 million, and burglary sets us back by another ￡150 million.
    Yet the police reckon that one car in five is left unlocked, or with windows open, or with expensive goods temptingly on display. It is estimated that over 60% of homes still do not have any window locks (although that's better than a few years ago when it was nearer 90% ) .
    These facts illustrate¹ a basic truth.

    The truth is that most criminals are on the lookout² for a soft touch. They are not hardened "professionals" who set out with particular targets in mind, but young, inexperienced or unsophisticated.
    What they're looking for is a house or car that will let them get in, get what they want and get away quickly.
    In short, an easy opportunity.

    Many of these opportunities can just as easily be removed. By fitting and using locks. Or by taking other very simple precautions.
    And if we can foil small-time criminals with modest individual effort and cost, how much more could be achieved by working together in Neighbourhood Watches ( there are forty-two thousand already)? Or in other local activities involving police, councils, businesses, voluntary groups and schools?

    More radically³ still, what might we see if more systematic⁴ effort was made to design anti-crime features into cars, houses and estates?
    This is not a pipe dream: it's already happening.
    Take housing. There is a growing awareness⁵ of how the design, layout and construction of houses and estates can affect the incidence of crime.
    Many police forces are now appointing specialist architectural liaison⁶ officers in their crime prevention departments.

    A new British Standard has been published. Some builders are now building security features  into new housing projects.
    Or cars. The Institute for Consumer Ergonomics at I,oughborough University carried out a research project into automobile⁷ security which was presented to the motor industry at a special Home Office conference.
    Some manufacturers are now fitting better security on the production line. Some magazine road tests regularly report on the subject.

    About 95% of crirnes are against property rather than people. But, not surprisingly, it is the remaining 5% --assault, mugging and rape⁸, for example-that causes the most comment and concern.
    But even thugs look for easy opportunities. The dark alley,
the pensioner⁹ who doesn't check callers' credentials¹⁰, the child who accepts a lift from a stranger. These can be reduced by personal and community action.

    For example, because all of us feel vulnerable sometimes, police and other experts have devised simple, sensible precaution which individuals can adopt to help minimise the risk of being
attacked.

　

                                            Text B

    You can't miss the neighbourhood watch people, or "old auntie". as they are sometimes called. As in neighbourhoods all over Beijing. they wear red armbands and sit on small chairs in lances off Wenjia Street downtown.
    If you are a stranger there and your behaviour arouses their suspicion, you are likely to be stopped for questions, such as whom you are looking for and where you are from.

    You needn't worry about theft if you live in the area and forget to lock the door of your house; the aunties will lock it during their daily inspection¹¹ tour past every house in -the community. But remember, a severe criticism of your carelessness will follow.
    Their presence may be one reason the 426-household community with about 1,200 residents has been free from theft, burglary and other criminal acts for almost 10 years.

    Every community member is encouraged by their neighbourhood residents' committee to remain alert for possible theft and to contribute an individual effort to the maintenance of a safe environment.
    The Wenjia Street neighbourhood residents' committee runs a public security committee together with committees on mediation¹³, publie health, and women's affairs.

    " They all look inconspicuous, yet their functions are great," cammented a public order official from the Ministry¹⁴ of Public Security.
    The official's comment is understandable. since the neighbourhood committees have proved to be an effective approach to maintaining public order and ensuring public safety at a time when professional police are in short supply.
    In the Wenjia public security committee, for instance, in addition to six directors, there are 138 residents who act as amateur police for the neighbourhood.

    Except the six directors, who receive 45 yuan monthly from he government, the neighbours work voluntarily. They form a small but sensitive security network in their community.
    Among the 138, 54 are retired¹⁵ workers or older housewives, whose job is to take turns guarding the 42 courtyards of houses in the community.

    According to Ran Yuzhen, the committee director, the whole community has been divided into 35 groups, with 62 people appointed to be group leaders.
    " Every community member is involved in the security work," said Ran.
    Safety is maintained in a number of ways.
    First, patrols by professional police.

    Second, daily inspection tours around the community by six committee directors.
    The directors keep a log of their observations while inspecting the neighbourhood.
    Third, guarding of courtyards and houses by the retirees and housewives.
    Fourth, installation of burglar-proof locks.
    "Safety is possible with the participation¹⁶ o# every member in the community involved in the security work," said Ran.

 

                           Additional Information

    Lu Xiuli was not boasting when he said he was a top-notch policeman. "1 catch thieves. I know their tricks and always make a big haul. "
    Lu. 42, works with the Criminal Investigation¹⁷ Department of the Municipal
Public Security Bureau of Guilin in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous¹⁸ Region. He heads a special task force to catch thieves and pickpockets²⁰ on crowded buses and other public places.

    "The thieves are very much afraid of me," he said. "Whenever they recognize
me, they run off as a rat fears a cat. "
    With his long experience, Lu can recall from memory the names and nicknames of more than 1,000 thieves or pickpockets in the city. He can list their physical characteristics and knows their haunts and tricks of the trade. He always carries a small notebook with information about major suspects. This has helped him spot them when they are on the prowl.

    Typical pickpockets are unemployed²¹ urban youth aged¹² between 18 and 25, Lu said. They have grown up and are quite independent of their parents. But they do not yet have their own families. And they do not care much about the consequences of their activities.
    Their targets are usually tourists or travelling traders from outside the city, not only because these people often carry a lot of money but also they are only transients who know little about local conditions. Thieves usually avoid locals for fear that they may come across them some other day and, even if they were not caught in the act, they may be recognized sooner or later.

    "I have learned to spot pickpockets on a crowded bus by the distinctive²² ways they move," Lu said. Many pickpockets on a bus choose their targets when passengers expose the location of their wallet as they take out money to pay the fare. The pickpocket¹⁹ edges towards his victim asking, people to make way as if he wanted to get off the bus. But he stops next to the target and raising one hand to grip the overhead bar, slips the other into the person's pocket and deftly²³ removes the money using only index and middle fingers.

    Pickpockets are usually not dangerous criminals, but sometimes Lu has to fight them face to face in a life and death struggle. Because he has shown no mercy in dealing²⁴ with thieves, many of them are waiting for a chance to take their revenge. Some even threatened him. "Don't be too harsh on us or sooner or later we will settle with you," warned one.

    But Lu is not to be intimidated²⁵. "I'm a people's policeman and will never recoil²⁶ in fear before enemies," he said. "To protect the people's interests, I am ready to shed my blood and even sacrifice my life. " In his nine years of police career, Lu scuffled with criminals 29 times and was injured three times.
 

1 illustrate   

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

• The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
• This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

2 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

3 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

4 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 liaison   

n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通

参考例句：

• She acts as a liaison between patients and staff.她在病人与医护人员间充当沟通的桥梁。
• She is responsible for liaison with researchers at other universities.她负责与其他大学的研究人员联系。

7 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

8 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

9 pensioner   

n.领养老金的人

参考例句：

• The tax threshold for a single pensioner is$ 445.单身领退休年金者的纳税起点为445英镑。
• It was the pensioner's vote late in the day that influenced the election of Mr.Sweet.最后是领取养老金者的选票影响了斯威特先生的当选。

10 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

11 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

12 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

13 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

14 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

15 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

16 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

17 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

18 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

19 pickpocket   

n.扒手；v.扒窃

参考例句：

• The pickpocket pinched her purse and ran away.扒手偷了她的皮夹子跑了。
• He had his purse stolen by a pickpocket.他的钱包被掏了。

20 pickpockets   

n.扒手( pickpocket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Crowded markets are a happy hunting ground for pickpockets. 拥挤的市场是扒手大展身手的好地方。
• He warned me against pickpockets. 他让我提防小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

22 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

23 deftly   

adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He deftly folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope. 他灵巧地将打有字的纸折好重新放回信封。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At last he had a clew to her interest, and followed it deftly. 这一下终于让他发现了她的兴趣所在，于是他熟练地继续谈这个话题。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

24 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

25 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 recoil   

vi.退却，退缩，畏缩

参考例句：

• Most people would recoil at the sight of the snake.许多人看见蛇都会向后退缩。
• Revenge may recoil upon the person who takes it.报复者常会受到报应。