Rural post boxes are being fitted with electronic tags to deter criminals from stealing them to sell for ￡5,000 or more.
英國鄉村地區的郵筒近日被裝上電子標簽，以遏制罪犯偷盜郵筒并將其以5000英鎊或更多的價錢賣掉。

At least 100 of the traditional red boxes are taken every year, with those in isolated towns and villages most at risk.
每年至少有100只傳統紅色郵筒被盜，偏遠城鎮和村莊的郵筒最有可能被盜。

The ‘significant threat’ has driven the Royal Mail to tag what they say is ‘part of the national image’.
這一“嚴重威脅”迫使皇家郵政（ Royal Mail）給他們稱之為“國家形象的一部分”的郵筒“貼”上了標簽。

Gangs are thought to be targeting the boxes after four Victorian ones were stolen from three Norfolk villages over just one weekend in January.
在一月份短短一個周末內，諾福克郡（Norfolk）的三個村莊就有四只維多利亞時期郵筒被盜，人們認為有犯罪團伙將郵筒定為偷盜目標。

Hi-tech equipment will be used to track boxes that go missing, a Royal Mail spokesman said, adding: ‘Theft of post boxes is relatively rare but there are spates involving individuals or gangs.
皇家郵政的發言人表示，將利用高科技設備追蹤丟失的郵筒，并補充說：“郵筒盜竊的行為相對還是比較少的，但確實有著個人或是團伙實施的一連串偷盜事件。”

‘We have an internal security team looking at equipment including forensic tags, permanent metal-marking systems and electronic tracking.’
“我們有一支內部安全團隊察看包括法醫標簽、永久性金屬打標系統以及電子追蹤的設備。”

There are thought to be 800 different types of post boxes in Britain, and unusual ones can command ￡5,700 at auction.
英國被認為有800種不同類型的郵筒，稀有罕見的郵筒在拍賣會上可能拍到5700英鎊的高價。

They are thought to have become even more valuable after Royal Mail stopped selling old boxes in 2003, pushing up demand.
自皇家郵政于2003年起停止售賣郵筒，這些郵筒就變得更為金貴，進而推動了需求。

Robert Cole, of the Letter Box Study Group enthusiasts’ association, told the Daily Telegraph: ‘There are people who are after scrap metal, those interested in the contents and those who know the boxes’ heritage value.’
“郵箱研究組”（Letter Box Study Group）愛好者協會成員羅伯特?科爾（Robert Cole）告訴《每日電訊報》（Daily Telegraph）的記者：“有些人喜愛廢金屬，有些人對其中的內容感興趣，還有些人則了解這些郵筒的遺產價值。”

The group has found around 800 different types of post boxes around Britain.
該小組在英國已發現大約800種不同類型的郵筒。

Vocabulary

spate：一連串

forensic：法醫的

英文來源：《每日郵報》

譯者：白潔

審校&編輯：劉明