《中英對照讀新聞》German police get their phoney US Highway Patrolman 德國警方逮捕假冒的美國高速公路警察

◎胡立宗

German traffic police were shocked to see a California Highway Patrol car cruising along the motorway, driven by a man dressed as an authentic American cop, authorities said on Thursday.

公路上出現一輛加州高速公路交通警察的巡邏車，上面還坐了一個穿著真正美國警察制服的男子，這景象讓德國交通警察大吃一驚，主管機關週四表示。

But they recovered sufficiently to book the 35-year-old Goettingen resident, whose uniform badge read "T.J. Lazer", for possessing a replica Smith & Wesson revolver without a licence and having out-of-date registration plates. "He was sitting at the wheel with his elbow on the window like in the best TV crime series," said Osthessen police spokesman Martin Schaefer.

但是他們隨後就恢復鎮定，開了罰單給這位35歲的戈廷恩地區居民。他制服上的警徽顯示他叫「T.J.拉策」。他被開單的原因是，他無照持有史密斯．威爾森左輪手槍的複製品，而且車牌也已經過期。「他坐在駕駛座、將手肘擱在車窗上的模樣，活像是經典警匪電視劇裡的場景」，奧斯鐵森警局發言人馬赫丁．夏耶佛說。

Armed with a baton, handcuffs and a Smith & Wesson, he clearly cut a convincing figure. While being questioned by the German police at a motorway stop, he was asked for directions several times by passers-by—who completely ignored the real officers.

配備一根警棍，一副手銬與一把史密斯．威爾森左輪手槍，他的裝扮顯然很有說服力，當德國警察在一處公路休息站盤問他時，有好幾次行人還向他問路，完全無視真正的警察。

The man told police he had been taking the 30-year-old vehicle to Bavaria to sell it and wanted to impress the buyer.

男子告訴警方，他當時正要把這輛30年的老爺車開到巴伐利亞賣掉，穿成這樣是為了讓買家印象深刻。

新聞字彙

phoney：英式拼法，美式拼法為phony。形容詞，假的；名詞，假貨、冒充者（騙子）。Phony medicine/pills，假藥。

replica：複製品。例句︰The replica looks so real.（複製品幾可亂真。）

licence：英式拼法，美式拼法為license。名詞，特許（證）、執照；動詞，許可、准許。例句︰The law prohibits driving without a license. （法律禁止無照駕車。）

cut a figure：放異彩、露頭角。如cut a brilliant figure是引人注目，cut no figure則是不足道、沒沒無聞。