鸡鸭成群了粪多，经济萧条了贼多。

这也算是一条规律。经济发达时，正当就业市场兴旺，工资收入高了，一般小偷盗窃收入可能不如正当就业来得多，小偷可能停偷并转入正当就业。反之，经济萧条来了，正当就业裁员，某些没了工作的或重操旧业或改行当小偷。

这也部分地解释了经济萧条时社会犯罪上升这一现象。

最近的一些新闻也应征了这个规律:  美国经济萧条了，报道的小偷事件增多了，而且有些小偷还开动脑筋运用智能。下面一则报道就让人看到什么是"袖里乾坤了得，手上功夫一流"。

Thief uses lubricant to swipe ring on woman's hand

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Police said a thief used a Vaseline-like lubricant to swipe an expensive ring off an elderly woman's hand in broad daylight. Authorities said two men bumped 80-year-old Helen Artim's car, then asked her to open her trunk to check for damage.

Police said the suspect ran his hand over hers, covering it with "some type of lubricant," then used a towel to wipe it off. It's then that police believe he slipped the ring off Artim's finger. The piece of jewelry was valued between $20,000 to $30,000.

No arrests in the Nov. 14 incident have been made.

知道英文怎么说"光天化日之下"吗?  对，就是in broad daylight。两盗贼兄弟就是光天化日之下，在佛州Lauderdale市袭击一位名叫Helen Artim的老妪。所用计谋"简单有效，可圈可点":  二贼先撞了Helen的车，然后下来帮着看车的损伤程度，在要求Helen打开后车箱时，用凡士林(Vaseline)一类的润滑剂(lubricant)抹了Helen一手，然后假惺惺用抹布给Helen抹手，顺势也抹走了Helen的戒子。贼人走先，警察扑空徒劳。

Helen还真是富家老妇，一枚戒子价值在两万到三万美元之间。贼哥哥们这一撞，日收入就是两万，确实比做正当劳工来得丰厚。说来也奇怪，二位贼偷怎么就知道所撞的是位富人?  是择日还是撞日?  难道二位哥哥是Robin Hood和Little John双簧的现代版?