Catching Thieves on Holiday!

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In today’s newsletter:

• Catching Thieves on Holiday!

• Quote of the day: Seneca

• We value your feedback - Your opinion helps us improve

• Word of the day: Petty

• Test Your Knowledge - Interactive quiz

• Whenever you are ready, here is how I can help you

Catching Thieves on Holiday!

The vocabulary that matters when dealing with theft and the police.

Last week, while on holiday in Cyprus, I returned to my rental car to find that someone had broken in and stolen my Apple AirPods and €300 in cash.

Ironically, the fact that they had taken the AirPods turned out to be helpful — we could track them using Apple's 'Find My' app. The AirPods were moving and appeared to be about 3 km away. Since it was a rural area, the thief must have had an iPhone that, unbeknown to him, was communicating with my AirPods and sending their location (and his!) to the Apple network.

We caught up with the AirPods and two thieves in another beach car park - I suspect before they attempt to break into another car.

One of the thieves disappeared, but we detained the other one and called the police. The AirPods were recovered because they could be identified. However, although he had cash, it could not be identified as definitely mine.

This experience reminded me how important it is to know the right vocabulary for describing incidents, especially when travelling abroad. Whether you're dealing with hotel security, filing insurance claims, or speaking with local authorities, precise language matters.

Why This Language Matters in Business

As international professionals, you might need to:

• Report incidents to police or security during business trips

• File insurance claims for stolen company equipment

• Describe security breaches or workplace incidents to management

• Communicate with local authorities while working abroad

• Write incident reports for HR or legal departments

Types of Thieves - Know the Difference

Thief - General term for someone who steals (as in my Cyprus case) "The thief took my laptop from the hotel room."

Burglar - Someone who breaks into buildings or homes to steal "A burglar broke into our office over the weekend."

Pickpocket - Someone who steals from people's pockets or bags, usually in crowds "I was warned about pickpockets on the metro during rush hour."

Understanding "Petty Crime"

Technically, I was a victim of crime. However, the experience in this case was not particularly distressing. Hence, my car break-in was petty crime. Petty crime includes relatively minor criminal activity like:

• Theft of small items or cash

• Vandalism

• Pickpocketing

• Minor fraud

This contrasts with serious crimes like armed robbery or major fraud. Understanding this distinction helps when:

• Describing incidents to insurance companies

• Explaining delays to business partners

• Assessing security risks for company travel

Essential Collocations for Reporting Crime

Making Reports:

• Make/file a police report "I need to make a police report about the stolen equipment."

• Report an incident/crime "We must report this incident to security immediately."

• Lodge a complaint "The hotel manager advised us to lodge a complaint with local police."

Providing Information:

• Give/provide a statement "The officer asked me to provide a detailed statement."

• Press charges "The company decided not to press charges against the former employee."

• Suffer/fall victim to a crime "Several business travellers have fallen victim to this scam recently."

Describing the Incident:

• Break into (cars, offices, buildings) "Someone broke into our warehouse last night."

• Stolen property/belongings/items "Please list all stolen items for the insurance claim."

• Recover stolen goods "Police recovered most of the stolen laptops."

Professional Communication Tips

When writing incident reports or insurance claims:

• Use past tense and passive voice: "The vehicle was entered between 2-4 PM"

• Be specific about times and locations: "The incident occurred at approximately 15:30 in the hotel car park"

• List items objectively: "Items taken include: 1 MacBook Pro (serial number...), 1 leather briefcase"

• Avoid emotional language with the passive voice: Say "items were stolen" not "thieves grabbed my stuff"

The Professional Touch

Notice how precise vocabulary helps you:

• Sound credible when reporting incidents

• Complete insurance paperwork correctly

• Communicate clearly with international authorities

• Maintain professional composure during stressful situations

My Cyprus experience taught me to always be vigilant, especially on holiday when we can feel more relaxed.

Have you ever had to report an incident while travelling?

Quote of the Day: Seneca

Fortunately, this is true in my case. It would not be true if I, or my family, had suffered serious or violent crime, however.

We Value Your Feedback!

Your opinion helps us improve and lets you suggest topics or ask Business English questions for future issues.

Word of the day: Petty

Petty - adjective - of little importance; trivial; small in scale or degree; minor

Note: This sentence does not have an 'a' because crime is not countable (mass noun).

Literal Meaning: Petty comes from the French "petit," meaning "small." Originally used to describe physical size, it has evolved to describe things that are minor, insignificant, or of little consequence. In legal contexts, it specifically refers to less serious crimes or offences.

Business English Context: In professional settings, "petty" is used to describe minor issues, small-scale problems, or trivial matters that don't significantly impact operations. It's particularly useful for distinguishing between serious business concerns and minor inconveniences, helping to prioritise resources and responses appropriately.

Common Business Collocations:

• Petty crime - minor criminal activity (theft, vandalism, fraud)

• Petty theft - stealing items of small value

• Petty complaints - minor grievances or trivial concerns

• Petty cash - small amounts of money for minor expenses

• Petty disputes - minor disagreements or conflicts

• Petty regulations - minor rules or bureaucratic requirements

• Petty issues - trivial problems or concerns

Petty Cash

Petty cash is a small fund of physical money kept by businesses to cover minor, immediate expenses like office supplies, taxi fares, or refreshments. Traditionally very common, it has been largely replaced by company credit cards and digital payments. However, petty cash still exists in many offices for situations requiring immediate cash payments or when card payments aren't practical, such as tips, small local vendors, or emergency expenses.

Professional Applications:

• Risk assessment: "We've experienced some petty theft but no major security breaches" (= minor stealing incidents)

• Financial management: "Use petty cash for office supplies under £20" (= small expense fund)

• Conflict resolution: "Let's not get distracted by petty disputes and focus on the main objectives" (= minor disagreements)

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Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The information contained herein is generic and does not take into account your individual financial circumstances. You should always consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment or financial decisions.

Additionally, the authors and/or publishers of this newsletter may hold investments in securities or other financial instruments mentioned herein. These are included for illustrative purposes only and should not be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell such securities or financial instruments.