Chase the thief

Chasing the Thief

I have another experience of being stolen from, but this time it wasn't just a battle of wits, it was also a battle of courage. The thief was male and I'm female. He's 1.8 meters tall, and I'm not even 1.6 meters. However, I still managed to get my money back. It was quite tense at the time, but now when I talk about it, it seems kind of funny.

That day, I was riding my bike past the train station. There were a lot of people on the road. As I was slowly cycling with the crowd, suddenly someone brushed against my coat pocket. Instinctively, I touched my pocket, only to find that my wallet in my coat pocket was gone. Thinking about the more than a thousand yuan I had just withdrawn from the bank, I couldn't help but shout: "My wallet!" Immediately, I jumped off the bike and looked around, hoping to see the person who stole my money. But after looking around, there were only people riding bicycles slowly in front and behind me. And because of my startled cry, they were all looking at me. There was only a boy in his twenties walking on the sidewalk nearby. My first reaction was: those riding bicycles definitely wouldn't be able to do it; only those walking could approach me. But when I looked at that boy, he wasn't particularly close to me either. Thinking about this, I turned around again and looked around, but there were so many people around, which one was the thief? I was a bit lost, standing there for a few seconds, my mind went blank. The only suspicious person seemed to be that boy walking on foot, but at this moment, he was buying something in front of a shop near the street. What should I do? Let him be, I'll just go check first. With an urgent desire to find the thief, I made up my mind, parked my bicycle by the roadside, and walked straight to the side of that boy. I slapped his two coat pockets, but they were both empty. What are you doing? He turned around and asked me while picking out goods. I stood there, full of anger, but without any words to say. Do you think I am a thief? He asked me. I didn't answer yet. You're mistaken. The person who stole your money, I saw him too, he has already gone that way. How could I be such a person? After hearing what he said, I thought I might have made a mistake. At this moment, far to the north, a boy of about the same age as him was walking while waving his hand, signaling him to come over. He waved back and didn't move. Seeing this situation, I thought he didn't look like a thief, so I came over to push my bicycle. But who would have known that just as I was about to ride away, I heard the boss lady selling stuff cursing that boy who had just left her store. Suddenly, I thought: Why would she curse him for no reason? So I turned my bike around and chased after him. He was quickly walking south, and I hurriedly caught up with him, grabbing him and stopping him from going further. He said: What do you want to do? What do you want to do? I said: I don't want to do anything. He then said: I've already told you, the person who stole your money has already gone. Why are you holding onto me? I said: Why don't we go to the police station together? In the worst case, I wrongfully accuse you and make you run a useless trip, I will compensate you some money (actually, where would I get the money from?). Seeing us tugging and pulling, a lot of people gathered around us to watch. Seeing this situation, he decisively said: Then let's go. So I followed him south.

I didn't know where the police station was, and I wasn't sure if he was really the one who stole my money. But no matter what, I decided to go to the police station once. After walking for a while, when we reached a place to park bikes, I wanted to park my bike there before continuing. So I asked him to wait for me a moment. Who knew that before I even stabilized my bike, he started running. This confirmed my suspicion. I told the bike guard to keep an eye on my bike, and then started chasing after him, shouting loudly: "Catch the thief! Catch the thief!" Unfortunately, despite the bustling train station filled with people, not a single person helped me. He ran into a mall, the counters inside arranged like a maze, twisting and turning every which way. I chased after him, but soon lost sight of him. Just as I was anxious, the shopkeepers beside me began giving me directions, pointing me: Left, left, right, right. I chased around in circles, panting heavily from exhaustion, but I still couldn't find him.

The mall had several exits, and I didn't know which one he had gone through. Reluctantly, I headed towards the nearest exit, but I still felt a bit dissatisfied. When I got to the exit, I looked around, but the bustling streets were crowded with people, and there was no sign of him anywhere. I sighed deeply, ready to turn around and leave, when I noticed that in a nearby jewelry store, many people were buying things in bulk. Among them was a man who looked very much like him, carefully selecting jewelry. I rushed over and grabbed him. Sure enough, it was him. I refused to let go. He said: "Let me go, let me go. If you catch me again, I won't run." I said: "Who believes you? Give me my wallet." He said: "The wallet isn't on me. Why don't you come with me to get it?" I believed him somewhat because I thought I had already patted down his coat pockets. Besides, others had said that thieves nowadays worked closely together, operating like an assembly line - one steals while another holds the loot. They wouldn't be like ordinary people who are apathetic and disorganized. Seeing his accomplice, I became a little worried. I was a woman, unable to defend myself. Where would he take me? What if he took me somewhere deserted, beat me up, and ran away? I would lose both my money and get beaten. No, I couldn't leave the crowded area. I needed to think of a way.

Just as I was hesitating, a young couple walked by. The woman was gentle and beautiful, and the man was wearing a police uniform. My heart secretly rejoiced, thinking: This is truly heaven-sent help. With this thought, I called out to the man in the police uniform: "Comrade Policeman, I caught a thief!" The man glanced at me, unsure of what to do. At this point, the woman pulled on his arm, signaling him not to intervene. Thus, this handsome young couple continued walking, tightly embracing each other. I was left clinging tightly to the thief's arm, leaning intimately against the wall of the jewelry shop, glaring fiercely at the elegant backs of the policeman and his partner as they disappeared. Suddenly, I remembered the number 110, and also the mobile phone in my other pocket. So, while I took out my phone to call 110, I was secretly grateful that he had stolen my money and not my phone, otherwise I would have been completely helpless. Seeing me about to call 110, he panicked, repeatedly saying: "Don't call, don't call. I'll go get your wallet." I hesitated for a moment, considering that even if 110 arrived, it would take time. So I stopped calling and walked south with him instead. After walking for a while, he refused to go any further, standing there motionless. Having no choice, I had to call 110 again. Just as I had connected and was about to speak, he panicked again, repeating: "Don't call, don't call." So we continued walking.

Thus, I held the thief's arm with one hand and the mobile phone with the other, like holding a whip to drive a donkey - if he didn't walk, I would hit him, and once I hit him, he would walk. We walked and stopped intermittently until we reached a small stall next to Yuanling Mall selling mobile phone bags and keychains. He said we had arrived. Next to the stall were a few young boys and a young girl. The boys, seeing me holding his arm, didn't say anything. However, the girl was incredibly fierce, aggressively shouting at me: "What do you want to do? What do you want to do?" Knowing that my current opponent wasn't her, I simply said, "Ask your own people," and ignored her thereafter. She shouted for a while, finding it uninteresting, and stopped talking. I then demanded my wallet. They kept dodging and refusing to give it. Having no other choice, I called 110 again and informed them of my exact location. The 110 operator said they would arrive soon and asked me to stay put. After hanging up, they panicked. The thief pretending to search someone else's pocket actually pulled my wallet from his own trouser pocket and handed it to me. I took the wallet and counted the money. Finding it all there, I was about to put it away when he asked me, "How much money is in there?" Only then did I realize he had been too busy to even glance at the fruits of his labor. All his efforts had gone to waste? Thinking about this, I couldn't help but fear retaliation. As I walked back home, I hoped 110 would arrive soon. Seeing me leave, they began packing up and retreating.

Watching their flustered retreat, I exhaled a long sigh of relief. Only then did I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. During my chase, I had run too fast and swallowed a lot of cold air. Now, the pain was unbearable. I could no longer care about the money or the thief and hurriedly pushed my bike home. Just as I left, the 110 call came through. They had arrived so quickly that all my previous disdain and dissatisfaction with the police vanished, leaving only respect. In critical moments, they truly are protectors, safeguarding our lives and safety.

Back home, my parents scolded me for valuing money over life. I told them that being stolen from doesn't just mean losing money, but also losing dignity.