A Pickpocket

The tantalising aroma of barbeque meat filled the air, causing Peter’s mouth to water. As he walked around the night market with his parents, Peter could not help but be carried away by the atmosphere. The sound of lively chatter and laughter surrounded him, and the melodic clinks of metal pots added to the symphony of the bustling market.

Peter’s eyes danced from stall to stall as his parents stopped to browse through a selection of shirts. He was getting bored and could not wait for them to move along to the stalls selling street food and candies. Just then, a shadowy figure caught Peter’s eye.

A long-haired teen, clad in dark clothing, was shifting suspiciously through the crowd. Instead of looking at the vibrant stalls and the path in front of him, the teen had his eyes trained on the bags and pockets of the market-goers. Something seemed to have caught the teen’s attention. Silently, he lowered his cap and crept towards a man standing at a quiet corner of the market.

Peter could not believe his eyes! With a swift movement, the teen fished a wallet out of the man’s pocket. The man, completely occupied on his phone, did not even realise what had befallen him. Peter knew he had no time to lose. “Pickpocket!” he hollered at the top of his voice, pointing in the direction of the two men. Caught in the act with the wallet still in his hand, the teen bolted through the crowd.

Fortunately, two policemen who were on patrol at the night market heard Peter’s cries and sprinted after the teen. In a swift, synchronised motion, they cornered the pickpocket and pinned him to the ground. As the police apprehended the pickpocket, Peter could not help but feel a surge of satisfaction. The man thanked him gratefully and his parents were immensely proud of him for his vigilance and courage. Together, they continued down the food stalls for a well-deserved treat.

Felix yawned. His parents had stopped at yet another clothing stall, this time selling tie-dyed shirts. As his mother scrutinised the designs and wondered whether the dye would come off after a few washes, Felix could not help but stare longingly at the food stalls just across from them. How he wished to be able to sink his teeth into a juicy piece of grilled meat. Just the thought of it made his mouth water!

As he scanned the food stalls, Felix caught sight of an unbelievable act. His eyes widened in astonishment as he witnessed a tall, lanky man carefully extract a brown wallet from the pocket of a market-goer. Within seconds, the man had fled from the scene and blended seamlessly into the crowd. Felix’s jaws fell to the ground.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins as Felix made a split-second decision. With his eyes locked on the pickpocket, Felix darted through the crowd, skillfully manoeuvring through the maze of stalls and bodies. Noticing the commotion, the pickpocket quickened his pace, weaving through the dense crowd, hoping to lose Felix in the labyrinth of stalls. “Stop!” Felix yelled.

A few market-goers seemed to realise what was going on and joined in the chase. “Pickpocket!” they shouted in pursuit. “Stop the man with the cap!” As the market-goers closed in on the pickpocket from all directions, panic flashed across his face. He knew that he had no way out of the situation.

Strong arms held firmly onto the pickpocket as they tackled him to the ground. Felix stood panting, his heart racing from the chase. He watched as the police arrived at the scene and swiftly took charge of the situation. Felix beamed with pride knowing that he had made the right decision as the crowd erupted into applause for the brave individuals who had worked together to apprehend the thief.