Off the back of a lorry

Li:	Hi Finn. I'm so happy. I'm going to buy a brand new computer this afternoon and it's very, very cheap.
Finn:	What a bargain, Li! Where are you going to buy it? Can I go with you?
Li:	I'm going to meet a friend of my neighbour's cousin. He's selling it.
Finn:	Do you know this man, Li?
Li:	No, but he sounded very nice on the phone. He's nice but a bit clumsy.
Finn:	Alright. Why?
Li:	He told me the computer fell off the back of his lorry but it works perfectly.
Finn:	It fell off the back of a lorry?!
Li:	Yes. But it came in a very strong box and he said it was in perfect condition.
Finn:	Li, the computer didn't actually fall off anywhere. It was taken.
Li:	What do you mean?!
Finn:	In English, when you say something 'fell off the back of a lorry', or if you say something is 'off the back of a lorry', what you mean is that it was received in suspicious circumstances. It was probably stolen.
Li:	Stolen?!
Finn:	Yes. In the US and Australia they say 'fell off the back of a truck', but it means the same thing. It's a humorous way of describing stolen property.
Li:	Oh. It's a crime! There's nothing humorous about that.
Finn:	'Off the back of a lorry' is today's expression in The English We Speak. Let's hear some examples of how it's used.

The police have been looking for a local man who doesn’t mind selling mobile phones that fell off the back of a lorry.
The black market was thriving when the war ended. It wasn't difficult to find all sorts of things off the back of a lorry.

Li:	Thank you, Finn, for the warning. I'm not going to buy that cheap computer now.
Finn:	Well. I'm sorry to have disappointed you. Li, but it's always good to know these unusual expressions in English!
Li:	Well, there goes my bargain. Back to saving money to buy a computer in a real shop.
Finn:	Good idea. What is cheap might end up costing much more than you expect.
Li:	Indeed. I won't buy stuff off the back of a lorry. Better safe than sorry. Bye.
Finn:	Bye.