The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-29 00:00:00

FVE\ !NG ti:DETION

CONSTABULARY FORCE FOR

ENGLAND AND WALES.

EXTRACTS FROM REPORT.
Pr Ictim of Habitual Depredators ; as disclosed in a
_ _

London Prison. Communicated by Mr. Chesterton,
the Governor of Coldbath-fields Prison, from parti-
culars collected at his reqacst by a Prisoner from the
narr .tives of other Prisoners.
Mrst thieves commence their career at seven or eight
years of age, and are engaged for some time in petty
thefts of loose articles, from street and market-stands,
shop-doors, windows, &c. Amongst the earliest
" games" of thieves appear to be these : three or four
boys go together and take a piece of flesh from a
butcher's, or goods from a cheesemonger's or an oilman's,
&e. ; having obtained the booty, they all make off toge-
ther. " Prigged" articles of this description are dis-
posed of to Irishwomen at street-stands, or in the low
neighbourhoods where they reside, the good dames of
the sister isle seldom giving a third of the value for
them : the proceeds are divided and squandered in
sweetmeats and gambling. At this species of plunder
the young thief continues for a length of time, sometimes
for two or three years, until in due time justice over-
takes him, and for some petty offence be is sent to gaol.
Here a new era opens to his view. We will pass
over the prison scenes, only adverting to the anxiety dis
played for a release from imprisonment to go to work
and make the " nobs" pay for their incarcerating in
prison mcs who, in their own opinions, gain an honest
livelihood.

When a young thief is sent to prison for the first time,
he either, by conversation and intercourse with more ex-
perienced thieves, becomes fixed and determined in that
pursuit, or, by the discipline experienced, dread and
terror are imprinted upon his youthful mind, and he is
reclaimed. If disposed to follow the pursuits of thiev-
ing, by imprisonment he forms so many acquaintances
that he is never afterwards at a loss for a companion ;
he becomes acquainted with thieves more versed in the
art than himself, who direct his attention to more lucra-
tive pursuits ; his emulation is spurred, and each
time his term of imprisonment expires, he enters
society with a fresh stock of knowledge, and conse-
quently becomes its more dangerous member. Love of
fame forms no small proportion of a thief's composition.
The estimation in which his character is held by his
companions is determined by the number of times he has
been in trouble, and the conduct he pursued on these
occasions towards his " pals" or confederates : if he has
' once informed against them he is deemed unsafe to
trust, and until the stain is removed by his hereafter
staunch conduct he does not rise in his profession.
The young thief, on his release from prison, is no
longer satisfied with the pilfering from shop-doors ; he
becomes acquainted with boys older than himself, and
commences picking pockets, &c. In these games one
or two pals or confederates are necessary, so as
to divert attention, and take a stolen article from
the party who steals it on the instant, and make
off. If the party who steals the article be taken,
and his confederate gets away with the property,
a oonviction is frequently prevented. Young thieves
are well aware that " where the property is found, there
lays the felony ;" they therefore make a point of putting
away stolen articles from the person as soon as possible,
and this leads me to speak of " fences," or receivers of
stolen property, who, for the most part, are Jews.
Fences for household goods, &c. ostensibly carry on the
trade of furniture-brolvrs ; those who take in gold or
saver goods are generally jewellers, gold refiners, &c.
The latter fencing is not attended with so much risk as
the former ; for no sooner is the bargain struck, than
the plate, however large the quantity, is thrown into a
furnace. Pocket-handherchiefs, when got singly, are
; pledged : less than six are not generally fenced. The
; lady Jewesses who receive them, in Field-lane and other
places, seldom give more than ls., Is. 3d., or, when very
good, Is. 6d. for each. The receiver is one of the
thief's best friends ; without him but little could be
done ; the thief would be unable to dispose of his plun-
Ider. " Were there no receivers, there would be no
thieves."