Lesson 6 Smash-and-grab
The expensive shops in a famous near Piccadilly were just "opening. At this time of the morning, the
arcade was almost empty. Mr. Taylor, the owner of a jewellery shop was admiring a new display. Two
of his assistants had been working busily since eight o'clock and had only just finished. Diamond ne
cklaces and rings had been beautifully arranged on a background of black velvet. After gazing at the
display for several minutes, Mr. Taylor went back into his shop.
The silence was suddenly broken when a large car, with its headlights on and its horn blaring, roare
d down the arcade. It came to a stop outside the jeweller's. One man stayed at the wheel while two o
thers with black stocking over their faces jumped out and smashed the window of the shop with iron b
ars. While this was going on, Mr. Taylor was upstairs. He and his staff began throwing furniture out
of the window. Chairs and tables went flying into the arcade. One of the thieves was struck by a he
avy statue, but he was too busy helping himself to diamonds to notice any pain. The raid was all ove
r in three minutes, for the men scrambled back into the car and it moved off at a fantastic speed. J
ust as it was leaving, Mr. Taylor rushed out and ran after it throwing ashtrays and vases, but it wa
s impossible to stop the thieves. They had got away with thousands of pounds worth of diamonds.