NONE of the alarms and only seven out of 43 surveillance cameras were working at a Cairo museum where a Vincent van Gogh painting was stolen, Egypt's top prosecutor said yesterday.

Thieves made off with the canvas, known by the titles of "Poppy Flowers" and "Vase with Flowers," on Saturday from the Mahmoud Khalil Museum in the Egyptian capital.

Prosecutor general Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud told Egypt's state news agencyyesterday the thieves used a box cutter to remove the painting from its frame. He blamed the theft on the museum's lax security measures, calling them "for the most part feeble and superficial."

He said the museum guards' daily rounds at closing time were inadequate and did not meet minimumsecurity norms to protect internationally renowned works of art.

Mahmoud also said his office had warned Egypt's museums to implement stricter security controls after nine paintings were stolen last year from another Cairo institute.

• working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)
• painting [´peintiŋ] n.绘画；(油)画；着色 (初中英语单词)
• stolen [´stəulən] steal 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• canvas [´kænvəs] n.帆布；油画(布) (初中英语单词)
• egyptian [i´dʒipʃən] n.埃及人a.埃及的 (初中英语单词)
• agency [´eidʒənsi] n.代理商；机构；代理 (初中英语单词)
• security [si´kjuəriti] n.安全；证券；抵押品 (初中英语单词)
• feeble [´fi:bəl] a.虚弱的，无力的 (初中英语单词)
• institute [´institju:t] n.学院 vt.建立；设置 (初中英语单词)
• minimum [´miniməm] n.最小量 a.最小的 (高中英语单词)
• renowned [ri´naund] a.有名的，有声望的 (高中英语单词)
• implement [´implimənt] n.工具 vt.执行 (高中英语单词)
• thieves [θi:vz] thief的复数 (英语四级单词)
• cutter [´kʌtə] n.裁剪师；刀具；快艇 (英语四级单词)
• calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)