Crime

Look at this student's essay, and complete it with a word or expression . In some
cases, more than one answer may be possible.

attacked • protect • property • defend • locks • lights

victims • self-defence • burgled • security • possessions • violence

criminals • problem • drugs • break in • be aware • police • prevent

There is a lot of crime in our towns and cities. What do you think we could all do to reduce the risk to ourselves and our homes?

Crime is a big 1. __________ in some cities. There is a lot of 2. __________ on the streets at night, people buy and sell 3. __________ illegally, and a lot of houses are 4. __________ on a regular basis. The 5. __________ do their best to 6. __________ these things happening, but they are not always successful.
However, there are some things that people can do to make their lives safer, to 7. __________
themselves and their 8. __________ from crime. For example, they can improve 9. __________ by fixing good, strong 10. __________ so that thieves cannot 11. __________ and steal their 12. __________. When they go out at night, they should leave 13. __________ on so that thieves think there are people at home. When they are on the streets, they should 14. __________ of what is happening around them.
They could even consider doing a 15__________ course such as judo or jujitsu so that they can
16. __________ themselves if they are 17. __________ by muggers.
There will always be 18. __________ on our streets, but that doesn't mean we all need to be
19. __________ of crime, especially if we take the right preventative measures.

Complete the sentences below with one of these words or expressions .

guilty • falsified • smuggled • sentenced • tried • innocent • arrested
mugged • break • vandalized • stole • robbed • trafficking • charged

Richard Mann has been committing crimes since he was a boy.

1. When he was only 15 he _____________ telephone boxes and public toilets.                          2. As he grew older, he _____________ old ladies in the street and stole their money.              3. He also _____________ banks, post offices and jewellery shops.
4. On one occasion, he _____________ almost £20,000 from a post office.
5. In his late twenties, he _____________ cigarettes and alcohol from one country to another.
6. During his only proper job in an office, he _____________ the accounts and pocketed thousands ofpounds.
7. He then started _____________ drugs.
8. The police finally _____________ him last year.
9. They _____________ him with almost thirty crimes.
10. He was _____________ at a Crown Court.
11. He said he was _____________, but the jury decided he was _____________.
12. The judge _____________ him to 15 years in prison.

13. He won't _____________ the law again for a long time.

IDIOMS, COLLOQUIALISMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS

Complete the following story using one of these idiomatic words or expression .

behind bars • nick • boys in blue • doing time • got away with • nicking   spill the beans • hardened • cops • as thick as thieves • leg it • red handed

Brian and Bert had always been 1._____________, sharing each other's secrets and doing everything together. They turned to a life of crime in their teens, and by the time they were in their early twenties, they were already 2._____________ criminals. They burgled houses and stole cars and always 3._____________ it, discovering that they actually enjoyed the excitement of avoiding the 4._____________. However, their luck didn't last and one day the 5._____________ caught them 6._____________ while they were 7.______________ a car. They tried to 8._____________, but didn't get too far. The police interviewed them and told them to 9._____________. I'm glad to say that Brian and Bert are now 10._____________ in Wandsworth 11._____________, and expect to be 12._____________ for at least two years.