1Have you or someone you know ever had anything stolen? What happened?
2What should people do if something is stolen from them?
3What do you own that is special to you that you'd hate to lose?
4Are there any famous stories about precious things that were stolen in your country? Tell your partner.
2aRead the text quickly. Which two types of crime shown in the photos are mentioned in the text?
🔒 Protecting Against Crime
Over recent years, there has actually been a decrease in the number of crimes committed annually in the UK. However, interestingly the latest figures also show that the types of crime people are committing most regularly have changed too in recent years.
The latest statistics published by the Crime Survey for England showed an 8 percent increase in theft last year compared to the previous year. The most commonly stolen items reported were bicycles, laptops and mobile phones. Burglaries and house break-ins were also high on the list of the most reported crimes, with jewellery, money and designer clothes and accessories being the most frequently stolen items.
So, what can people do to protect themselves from thieves? John Mackay says, 'Around 60 percent of burglars wouldn't attempt to break in if they saw a security system was operating in your home. It's very important to have a working alarm on your house, security lights to show when someone is approaching, and to make sure that all of your windows and doors are securely locked every time you leave home.' He adds, 'If you're worried about your bike being stolen, invest in a good quality bike padlock. It's also a good idea to download a "find my phone or laptop" app to your digital devices.'
The two types of crime mentioned in the text are:
2bRead the text again. Answer the questions.
1. What has happened to the amount of crime being committed in the UK?
2. What interesting information do the latest figures show?
3. What were the most stolen items last year?
4. What does John Mackay suggest doing to protect your house from thieves?
5. What can you do to protect your bike and your phone?
💡 Model answers:
1. There has been a decrease of 8% overall ·
2. The types of crime most often committed are changing ·
3. Bikes, laptops and mobile phones ·
4. He says you need a security system — a working alarm, security lights — and to make sure all doors and windows are locked when you leave home ·
5. He recommends investing in a good quality bike padlock to protect your bike and downloading a 'find my phone or laptop' app to protect your digital devices
3Work in pairs. Decide if you agree or disagree with the statements. Give reasons for your answers.
a Bike padlocks are an effective way to stop thieves from taking a bike.
Your opinion
b Most thefts or burglaries happen at night.
Your opinion
c If you park your bike near other bikes, it will be safer.
Your opinion
d Most stolen property gets returned to its owner.
Your opinion
4Watch the video from 00:14–01:18. Complete the sentences. Use 1–4 words in each gap.
1. Sally said she'll be finding out what we can do to make sure that .
2. Sally said she's had stolen in the last six months.
3. Sally said London has with bike thieves.
4. She said over 20,000 thefts to the police every year.
5. Sally said very few bikes are ever found and original owners.
6. Sally told us she had just heard about a brand-new way to her things.
7. She said she's always used a to keep her bike safe.
5aChoose the correct alternatives to complete the extracts from the video.
So how do Alpha Dots work? Well, you paint them onto your bike, and if the bike gets
/, the
/
use the tiny marks to find the bike and
/
the owner …
Oh no! My bike's been
/
, again! Well this time the
/
won't get away with it! … I left my bike on the street while I did some shopping and I was only gone about half an hour, and when I got back it had
/.
/
Click each pair to choose the correct word.
6aWatch the video from 02:14–03:47. Tick the phrases that you hear.
7Watch the whole video again and choose the correct answers a–c.
8Read the sentences then re-write them using direct speech.
1. Over 20,000 thefts are reported every year, according to Sally.
2. Sally's always used a good quality lock to keep her bike safe.
3. Sally is going to give Alpha Dots a try.
4. Sally's bike has disappeared.
💡 Model answers:
1. Sally said over 20,000 thefts were reported every year. ·
2. She said she had always used a good quality lock to keep her bike safe. ·
3. She said she was going to give Alpha Dots a try. ·
4. She said her bike had disappeared.
9Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
1Look at the photo. What would you do if you saw this happening?
2Where do you think is safe to park a bike? Why?
3Do you think Alpha Dots are a good solution to bike theft? Why/Why not?
10Work in pairs. Student A is the victim of a theft, Student B is a friend/family member. Student A, tell your partner what happened. Student B use phrases from Exercise 6a to react.
Phrases to react with:
Oh no!Listen …That's rightOK, got that!Nice to meet you
A: I've had my mobile phone stolen. It had all my important information on it! B: Oh no! What a disaster! What are you going to do?