Soccer-mad criminals have been turning themselves in to British police stations in the hope of completing a short jail sentence in time to watch the World Cup, British newspapers reported on Friday.
　　
　　　 Police in Hertfordshire, north of London, sent a simple message to defendants who have been failing to turn up in court: surrender now or spend the World Cup in a police cell with no television, according to the Evening Standard newspaper.
　　
　　　 The paper said the 296 letters sent to offenders' last known addresses had resulted in 17 people walking into local police stations to face charges such as assault and theft, while 10 had turned up for court hearings.
　　
　　　 One man even turned up to court with his bag packed, expecting a short spell in prison.No doubt he wanted to get his sentence over and done with to make sure he would be free again in time for the World Cup.
　　
　　据英国报纸5月17日报道，一些罪犯最近纷纷到英国警察局投案，以期能赶紧完成短期的拘禁，赶上看世界杯球赛。
　　
　　据《标准晚报》报道，在位于伦敦以北的的荷特福斯尔警方发布了一个消息，警告那些没有到庭的被告们：现在就来报到，不然就等着在没有电视的警局扣留所里度过世界杯赛季吧。
　　
　　这份报纸表示警方还发了296封警告信给有地址可寻的犯罪嫌疑人，结果有17个人到警局自首，这些人大多是因为斗殴和偷窃受控，其中10人要到庭听审。
　　
　　一个男人甚至带着装有日常用品的行李前来候审，准备要在监狱里呆上一段时间。毫无疑问他希望赶紧了结案子，保证自己在世界杯赛季前可以重获自由。