English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate » Unit 39: Crime
A man has been 1_____ by police and 2_____ with burglary after a house in the city centre was broken into last night. Experts have searched the 3_____ and found several items which they have taken away to be used as 4_____ in court. The police believe the burglar may have had an 5_____, so they are calling for anyone who 6_____ the crime to come forward and help them catch the second burglar.
Find out about how criminals are caught and punished in your country. Answer the questions.
| crime | definition | criminal | verb |
| murder | killing someone | murderer | murder |
| shoplifting | stealing something from a shop | shoplifter | shoplift |
| burglary | stealing something from someone’s home | burglar | burgle |
| smuggling | taking something illegally into another country | smuggler | smuggle |
| kidnapping | taking a person hostage in exchange for money or other favours, etc. | kidnapper | kidnap |
| terrorism | violent action for political purposes | terrorist | (terrorise) |
| fraud | deceiving people in order to take money from them | fraudster | defraud |
| abduction | taking someone, especially a child, usually in order to harm them | abductor | abduct |
All the verbs in the table above are regular. Note that the verb terrorise is mainly used in a general way, meaning to make others very frightened, rather than just relating to the crime.
Ross committed a crime when he robbed a bank. Someone witnessed the crime and told the police. The police arrested Ross and charged him with bank robbery. They also accused his twin brother, Ben, of being his accomplice1. The police investigated the case2 and collected evidence3 at the crime scene. They found Ross’s fingerprints and they also found DNA evidence4 that linked him to the crime, so they were confident they had proof5 that the two men were guilty.
1 someone who helps someone commit a crime
2 a crime that is being investigated
3 information used in a court of law to decide whether the accused is guilty or not
4 evidence from hair or skin that can be analysed scientifically and be shown to come from a particular person
5 evidence that shows conclusively whether something is a fact or not
The case came to court1, and Ross and Ben were tried2. The trial3 did not last very long. Ross and Ben both pleaded not guilty4 in court. Their lawyer did her best to defend them, but the prosecuting lawyer produced a very strong case against them. After brief deliberations5, the jury passed verdict on them. They decided that Ross was guilty, and he was convicted of6 robbery, but Ben was innocent7. The judge acquitted Ben of any involvement in the robbery, but sentenced Ross to three years in prison/jail. As well as a prison sentence, Ross also had to pay a large fine. Ross served two years in prison, but was released from prison a year early. He got time off for good behaviour.
1 the place where a judge makes legal decisions
2 were put through a legal process to decide whether they committed the crime or not
3 the legal process in court whereby an accused person is investigated and tried
4 said they did not commit the crime
5 discussions
6 found to be guilty of a crime
7 not guilty of a crime
offender: someone who commits an illegal act (an offence)
judge: the person who leads a trial and decides on the sentence,i.e. the punishment when someone is found guilty
jury: group of citizens (12 in the UK and, usually, the US) who decide on the verdict, i.e. whether the accused is guilty or not
victim: a person who suffers as the result of a crime
suspect: a person who is suspected of committing an offence
witness: a person who sees a crime being committed
The words you need to communicate with confidence. Vocabulary explanations and practice for elementary level (A2) learners of English. Perfect for both self-study and classroom activities. Quickly expand your vocabulary with 60 units of easy to understand explanations and practice exercises.
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The words you need to communicate with confidence. Vocabulary explanations and practice for advanced level (C1 to C2) learners of English. Perfect for both self-study and classroom activities. Quickly expand your vocabulary with over 100 units of easy to understand explanations and practice exercises.