《中英對照讀新聞》UK thief who sold stolen penguins on Facebook sent to prison 偷企鵝在臉書販賣的英國小偷被送入監牢

◎孫宇青

Bradley Tomes, 25, was sentenced to 32 months in prison by Preston Crown Court for taking Humboldt penguins Pablo and Penny from South Lakes Safari Zoo in northwest England.

25歲的布雷德雷．托姆斯因從英國西北部「南湖沙弗雷動物園」偷取漢波德企鵝帕布羅和潘妮，遭普雷斯頓皇家法院判入獄32個月。

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Prosecutors said Tomes broke into the zoo twice in 2018, stealing the penguins and numerous other birds including spoonbills, egrets and macaws.

檢察官說，托姆斯2018年兩度闖入該動物園，偷取企鵝及其他多種鳥類，包括琵鷺、白鷺和金剛鸚鵡。

It was exposed after an animal collector who bought the penguins for 9,000 pounds contacted a veterinarian because the animals were in poor health.

在一位以9000英鎊（約36萬台幣）買下企鵝的動物收藏人士，因為牠們健康狀況不佳而聯絡獸醫後，事件才曝光。

He also reported the incident to police, despite the pleas of Tomes, who offered to give his money back. When Tomes went to the buyer’s house with the refund, he was arrested by waiting police officers.（AP）

儘管托姆斯以願意歸還購買費做為請求，但買家仍報警。當托姆斯帶著錢去買家住處，正好被守候的警察逮捕。（美聯社）

新聞辭典

break into：慣用片語，強行闖入。例句：A thief broke into my flat and stole the laptop.（一名小偷闖入我的公寓竊走筆電。）

plea：名詞，懇求。例句：The family of the murderer made a plea of mercy to the family of the victims.（殺人犯家屬向被害者家屬懇求原諒。）

refund：名詞，退款。例句：He took the faulty laptop to the shop and asked for a refund.（他把瑕疵筆電帶去店裡要求退款。）