On the roof of a high-rise building in St. Petersburg stands a bearded man with a briefcase, telling a story. He feels comfortable up there, because from here he has a clear view of his neighborhood, Kuptschino, a dreary concrete housing estate. He can observe crimes. And he can intervene. As proof, he pulls out an imaginary pistol and fires it wildly. The man is a member of a club dedicated to fighting crime. After all, every child knows that crime is part of everyday life in Russia.
