Typical pickpockets are unemployed urban youth aged between 18 and 25, Lu said. They have grown up and are quite independent of their parents. But they do not yet have their own families. And they do not care much about the consequences of their activities.
    Their targets are usually tourists or travelling traders from outside the city, not only because these people often carry a lot of money but also they are only transients who know little about local conditions. Thieves usually avoid locals for fear that they may come across them some other day and, even if they were not caught in the act, they may be recognized sooner or later.

    "I have learned to spot pickpockets on a crowded bus by the distinctive ways they move," Lu said. Many pickpockets on a bus choose their targets when passengers expose the location of their wallet as they take out money to pay the fare. The pickpocket edges towards his victim asking, people to make way as if he wanted to get off the bus. But he stops next to the target and raising one hand to grip the overhead bar, slips the other into the person's pocket and deftly removes the money using only index and middle fingers.

    Pickpockets are usually not dangerous criminals, but sometimes Lu has to fight them face to face in a life and death struggle. Because he has shown no mercy in dealing with thieves, many of them are waiting for a chance to take their revenge. Some even threatened him. "Don't be too harsh on us or sooner or later we will settle with you," warned one.

    But Lu is not to be intimidated. "I'm a people's policeman and will never recoil in fear before enemies," he said. "To protect the people's interests, I am ready to shed my blood and even sacrifice my life. " In his nine years of police career, Lu scuffled with criminals 29 times and was injured three times.

上一页  [1] [2] [3] [4]