Topic 10: Crime, Mystery and Investigation Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions related to crime, mystery, and investigation.

A suspect

A person who the police think may have committed a crime.

"The police questioned three ______ after the trophy disappeared."

A motive

A reason why someone might do something, especially something wrong or illegal.

"The detective believed that jealousy could have been the ______ for the crime."

An alibi

Evidence or a claim that someone was somewhere else when a crime happened.

"Maria had a strong ______ because several people saw her at the cinema that evening."

Evidence

Information or objects that help prove whether something is true.

"The police found important ______ near the broken window."

Forced entry

The act of getting into a building or room by using force, often by breaking a door or window.

"There was no sign of ______, so the detective suspected that the thief had a key."

To disappear

To stop being visible or to become impossible to find.

"The valuable painting seemed to ______ overnight."

Deliberately

Intentionally, rather than by accident.

"Someone had ______ switched off the security camera."

To confirm something

To show or establish that something is true or correct.

"The detective needed another witness to ______ the suspect's story."

A caretaker

Someone whose job is to look after a building or property.

"The school ______ had keys to all the classrooms."

A master key

A key that can open several different locks.

"The caretaker used a ______ to enter the locked rooms."

A rival

A person or group competing against another.

"The drummer belonged to a ______ band that was competing in the same music competition."

To hide something

To put something somewhere so that other people cannot see or find it.

"The thief tried to ______ the stolen jewellery in a drawer."

To fake something

To make something appear real or genuine when it is not.

"The suspect tried to ______ an email to make it look as if he had been somewhere else."

A magnifying glass

A glass lens that makes small objects look larger.

"The detective used a ______ to examine the tiny mark on the key."

To look for something

To try to find something.

"The police continued to ______ clues that might explain what had happened."