When word got around, people all over the place started doing the same thing (monkey see, monkey do!), and it really "diminished the scope of our activities," if you know what I mean.
置於村內鄰里街坊，用來對付我們。這下可慘了，消息傳出後，各地紛紛「有樣學樣」，咱們活動的空間逐漸減小。