Making a getaway

haul, loot, (make one’s) escape, (make one’s) get away, make off, getaway car

After a robbery, the criminals try to make their getaway or make their escape. Getaway is also often used in the combination getaway car. Robbers may make off with money or property they have stolen: the haul or the loot.

Foiling robberies

foil a robbery, flee empty-handed, have-a-go, have-a-go hero

If a robbery is foiled, the robbers do not get what they came for, and they may flee empty-handed: they get away, but with no loot. Passers-by who try to stop thieves making their getaway are referred as having a go. The expression is also used in combinations such as have-a-go hero or have-a-go boy.

1. ‘Flee empty-handed’ is used in contrast with ‘make a getaway’, where the thieves are usually successful. Use an appropriate version of one of the expressions to complete these extracts logically.

Successful or unsuccessful?

1. The woman was left unharmed in Epping Forest in Essex after the gang had picked up the money and … .

2. The good people of Eltham made a stand against (дали показания) crime yesterday. One have-a-go hero was shot in the back by armed robbers and a man who used his car to ram their getaway vehicle was facing a costly repair bill (был предъявлен крупный счет [иск] за ремонт автомобиля). But the brave folk (храбрый человек) from the south-east London suburb won in the end, and the raiders … .

3. A brave police chief foiled an armed robbery on a jewelers by grabbing the raiders’ shotgun. As Chief Superintendent (главный надзиратель) Chris Standen, 54, wrestled with the gunman (сражался врукопашную с вооруженным преступником), a shot blasted (прогремел выстрел) into the ceiling of the shop in Bath. Despite being hit over the head, he clung (схватил(ся)) to the gun and the raiders … .

4. A sub-postmaster has been shot dead during an attempted robbery of a post-office in Clapton in North London. Police say three armed men were waiting in the post office when the postmaster and his wife arrived to open up. When he refused to hand over any money he was shot. The gunmen … .

5. Mr. Culling was forced to drive to his bank and hand over the cash. His younger brother Philip was tied up and locked in the boot of a car for three hours while the gang … .

1. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, or Simple Past.

1. I (buy) a new house last year, but I (not sell) my old house yet, so at the moment I have two houses. 2. When Ann (be ) on her way to the station it (began) to rain. Ann (run) back to her apartment for her umbrella, but this (make) her late for her train. 3. I’m sorry I’ late. (you, wait) long? 4. At 7 am Charles (ring) Peter and (say), “I’m going fishing, Peter. Would you like to come?” “But it’s so early,” (say) Peter. “I (not have) breakfast yet. Why you (not tell) me last night?” 5. Tom (meet) Paul at lunch time and (say), “I (not see) you at the bus stop this morning. You (miss) the bus? “I (not miss) it,” (reply) Paul. “I (not miss) a bus for years. But this morning George (give) me a lift.”

GRAMMAR MATERIAL: Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous.

2. Complete the sentences using the correct tense forms.

1. Mr. and Mrs. Davis were in an airplane. They were very nervous as the plane took off because the (never, fly) before. 2. – Why you (be) so angry when I (see) you yesterday? – Oh, I (just, have) a big argument with parents. 3. I (try) contacting my pen pal when I (be) in the US, but she (change) her address and no one (know) where she (move) to. 4. I (stand) there for nearly half an hour when I (realize) I (be) at the wrong place. 5. He (be) very nervous when he first (drive) in Britain because he (not, drive) on the left before. 6. When I (hear) his voice over the phone, I (know) I (speak) to him before. Then I (remember) I (already, meet) him. I also (remember) that I (not, like) him very much. 7. He (just, start) his lunch when the telephone (ring). 8. They (wait) until everyone (be) ready and then they (start) the meeting.

9. –You (catch) the train yesterday? – No, it already (leave) when we (get) to the station. 10. I (not, laugh) at the joke because I (hear) it before. 11. The children’s hair was wet because they (swim) in the sea. 12. I (invite) Ann to dinner last night but she couldn’t come. She already (arrange) to do something else. 13. I was very pleased to see Nora again after such a long time. I (not, see) her for five years.

14. The house (be) very quiet when I got home. Everybody (go) to bed. 15. There was a car by the side of the road. It (break) down and the driver (try) to repair it. So we (stop) to see if we could help.

ARREST

suspects, commit a crime, offense, arrest, be arrested, charge,

be charged, be held (in custody), detained, be tried, allegation

Suspects are people who the police think may have carried out or committed a crime. A more formal word for a crime is an offense.

If suspects are arrested by the police they may be held (in custody) or detained by them and may be charged with an offense.

Until the person charged is tried in a court, and the crime or offense is proved to have happened, it is an alleged offense.

Alleged offenses are allegations.

GRAMMAR MATERIAL: Passive Voice.

1. Supply the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1. There isn’t any food left. All of it (eat)! 2. There was a terrible accident on a busy downtown street yesterday. Dozens of people (see) it, including my friend, who (interview) by the police. 3. In my country, certain prices (control) by the government, such as the prices of medical supplies. However, other prices (determine) by how much people are willing to pay for a product. 4. Right now Alex is in hospital. He (treat) for a bad burn on his hand and arm. 5. Yesterday a purse-snatcher (catch) by a dog. While the thief (chase) by the police, he (jump) over a fence into someone’s yard, where he met a dog. The dog (keep) the thief from escaping. 6. The document (type) by the time you return. 7. That play (write) by Shakespeare. 7. I think Ann (invite) to the party tomorrow. 8. The librarian said that the book (return) to the library some days ago. 9. America (discover) by Christopher Columbus. 10. My sweater (make) in England. 11. Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony (perform) at the concert last night. 12. Many foreign movie (show) on TV.