Chasing the Thief
I once had an experience of being stolen from, but this time it was not just a battle of wits; it was also a test of courage. The thief was a man, and I am a woman. He was 1.8 meters tall, while I am less than 1.6 meters. Nevertheless, I managed to get my money back. It was quite nerve-wracking at the time, but now when I recount the story, it seems rather amusing.
That day, I was riding my bicycle past the train station. The road was crowded with people, and I was slowly pedaling along with the crowd when suddenly someone brushed against my coat pocket. Instinctively, I touched my pocket and discovered, to my horror, that my wallet was gone. Remembering the thousand-plus yuan I had just withdrawn from the bank, I couldn’t help but shout: "My wallet!" I immediately jumped off my bike and looked around, hoping to spot the person who had stolen my money. But all around me were people riding bicycles slowly, and because of my scream, they were all looking at me. There was only one boy in his twenties walking on the sidewalk nearby. My first thought was: those riding bicycles definitely couldn't have done it; only those on foot could have approached me. But when I looked at the boy, he wasn't particularly close to me. Thinking about this, I turned around again and looked around, but there were so many people around—how could I tell which one was the thief? I was a bit at a loss, standing there for a few seconds, my mind blank. The only suspicious person seemed to be that boy walking on foot, but by then he was buying something in front of a shop. What should I do? Regardless, I decided to go check him out first. Eager to find the thief, I made up my mind, parked my bike by the side of the road, and went straight to the boy's side. Without thinking, I slapped his two coat pockets. However, both of his suit pockets were empty. "What are you doing?" he turned around and asked me while selecting goods. I stood there, full of anger but speechless. "Do you think I'm a thief?" he asked me. I hadn't said anything yet. "You're mistaken. I saw the person who stole your money, and he has already gone that way," he said. I thought maybe I had made a mistake. At this moment, a boy about the same age as him was waving and signaling for him to come over from far away to the north. He waved back and didn't move. Seeing this situation, I thought he didn't look like a thief, so I went back to push my bike. But just as I was about to ride away, I heard the shop owner cursing at the boy who had just left her store. A sudden chill ran through me: why would she curse at 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 moving further. He said, "What do you want to do? What do you want to do?" I replied, "I don't want to do anything." He continued, "I've already told you, girl, 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? If I'm wrong, it's just a wasted trip for you, and I'll compensate you with some money" (actually, where would I get any money?). Seeing us tugging at each other, many people gathered around to watch. Given the situation, he decisively said, "Alright, let's go." So, I followed him southward.
I didn't know where the police station was, and I had no idea if he was really the one who stole my money. Still, I decided to go to the police station anyway. After walking for a while, we reached a place to park bikes. I wanted to park my bike there before continuing, so I asked him to wait for a moment. Unexpectedly, before I even stabilized my bike, he started running. Now, I knew for sure. I asked the bike attendant to keep an eye on my bike and began chasing after him, shouting, "Catch the thief! Catch the thief!" Unfortunately, despite the bustling train station filled with people, no one helped me. He ran into a mall, and its counters were arranged in a maze-like pattern, making it easy for me to lose sight of him. Just as I was panicking, the shopkeepers nearby pointed directions for me: "Left, left, then right, then right." I chased around breathlessly but still couldn't find him.
The mall had several exits, and I had no clue which one he might have taken. Reluctantly, I headed towards the nearest exit, still feeling somewhat unwilling. As I reached the exit, I scanned the area, but the bustling street was packed with people, and there was no sign of him. With a long sigh, I was about to turn back when I noticed a group of people inside a jewelry store. Among them was a man who looked very much like the one I was chasing, carefully picking out jewelry. When I approached and grabbed him, it was indeed him. I refused to let go this time. He pleaded, "Let me go, let me go, you caught me, I won't run anymore." I replied, "Who would believe you? Give me my wallet back." He said, "The wallet is not on me. How about you come with me to get it?" I believed what he said because I had already checked his clothes' pockets. Moreover, others had mentioned that thieves nowadays worked as a team, following a production line system: some specialized in stealing, others in carrying the loot. They were nothing like ordinary people, indifferent and scattered. In such situations, they wouldn't stand idly by. Plus, I had seen his accomplice. Because they were united and cooperative, victims often feared them. Considering this, I became a little worried. I was a weak woman, incapable of defending myself. Where would he take me? What if he lured me to a secluded place, beat me up, and then fled? I would lose both my money and get beaten. No, I couldn't leave the crowded area. I needed to come up with a plan.
While I was hesitating, a young couple walked by. The woman was gentle and beautiful, and the man was wearing a police uniform. I felt secretly pleased, muttering to myself, "This is heaven-sent assistance." Thinking this, I called out to the man in the police uniform, "Officer, I caught a thief!" The man glanced at me, unsure of what to do. Then the woman pulled his arm, signaling him not to get involved. Thus, the handsome young couple closely embraced and walked away affectionately. Left behind, I tightly clutched the thief's arm and leaned against the wall of the jewelry shop, glaring fiercely at the elegant backs of the couple in police uniforms as they walked away. Suddenly, I remembered 110 and the mobile phone in my other pocket. Therefore, while I took out my phone to call 110, I felt grateful to the thief for stealing my money and not my phone; otherwise, I would have been utterly helpless. When the thief saw me calling 110, he panicked, repeatedly saying, "Don't call, don't call, I'll go get your wallet." I hesitated, considering that it would take time for 110 to arrive, so I stopped dialing and walked south with him. After a while, he stopped and refused to move any further. Having no other choice, I dialed 110 again. Just as I was about to speak after the call connected, he became scared again, repeating, "Don't call, don't call." So, we continued walking.
Thus, with one hand gripping the thief's arm and the other holding the phone like a whip, I drove him forward whenever he tried to stop. We eventually reached a small stall near Yuanling Mall selling phone bags, keychains, etc. He claimed we had arrived. Near the stall stood a few young boys and a young girl. The boys watched me holding his arm without saying anything, but the girl was aggressive, loudly yelling at me, "What do you want to do? What do you want to do?" Knowing I was dealing with her own people, I simply said, "Ask your own people" and ignored her. She shouted for a while and found it uninteresting, so she stopped talking. I then demanded my wallet, but they kept stalling and refused to give it. Finally, I had no choice but to call 110 again and informed them of my exact location. 110 assured me they would arrive soon and asked me to stay put. After hanging up, the group 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 counted the money, and it was all there. As I was about to put it away, he asked me, "How much money is in there?" Only then did I realize he hadn't even checked his "work results" yet. All his efforts had been in vain. Concerned about possible retaliation, I hurried home while longing for 110 to arrive sooner. Seeing me leave, they began packing up and retreating.
Watching their flustered retreat, I sighed with relief. Only then did I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. Chasing the thief had caused me to swallow too much cold air, and now my stomach hurt terribly. I forgot all about the money and the thief and rushed home on my bike. Just as I left, the 110 call came. They had arrived so quickly that all my previous resentment and dissatisfaction with the police vanished, leaving only respect. In critical moments, they truly are our protectors, safeguarding our lives and safety like a land goddess.
Back home, my parents scolded me for risking my life for money. I told them that being stolen from doesn't just mean losing valuables; it also means losing dignity.