Word List: Heist, Robbery, Con Artist, Fence, Pawn Shop, Swindle, Embezzlement, Extortion, Larceny, Burglary
There was a buzz in the air as the grand opening of the new art museum approached. Everyone was excited to see the collection of priceless artifacts and paintings, but the excitement was short lived as the museum was robbed on the opening night. The police had no leads and the investigation seemed to have hit a dead end, until a small-time con artist named Jack was caught trying to fence one of the stolen items at a local pawn shop. The police were shocked to discover that Jack was only a small part of a much larger operation run by a notorious gang of thieves who specialized in heists and robberies of museums and art galleries. Further investigation revealed that the ringleader, a man named Frank, was an expert in embezzlement, swindle and extortion. The police finally caught up with Frank and the rest of the gang and recovered all the stolen artifacts. The museum was finally able to open to the public and the crowds returned, but this time with a heightened sense of security and a newfound appreciation for the value of the priceless artifacts that were nearly lost to larceny and burglary.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning | Collocations |
|---|---|---|
| Heist | a robbery, especially one carried out in a planned and organized way | Bank heist, Gold heist, Diamond heist |
| Robbery | the crime of stealing from someone using violence or the threat of violence | Armed robbery, Convenience store robbery, Bank robbery |
| Con Artist | a person who cheats or deceives others, especially by exploiting their confidence | Confidence artist, Scam artist, Fraudster |
| Fence | a person who buys stolen goods in order to sell them | Black market fence, Illegal fence, Thief’s fence |
| Pawn Shop | a business that lends money in exchange for personal items that are left as security | Pawnbroker, Pawn shop owner, Pawn shop loan |
| Swindle | to cheat someone out of money or property by using a trick | Investment swindle, Charity swindle, Real estate swindle |
| Embezzlement | the crime of stealing money or other assets that have been trusted to one’s care | Corporate embezzlement, Financial embezzlement, Public funds embezzlement |
| Extortion | the crime of obtaining money or property from someone by threatening to harm them or someone they care about | Cyber extortion, Protection extortion, Blackmail extortion |
| Larceny | the crime of stealing someone’s property without using violence or threats | Grand larceny, Petit larceny, Shoplifting larceny |
| Burglary | the crime of breaking into a building in order to steal something | Residential burglary, Commercial burglary, Attempted burglary |