Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-04-03
THE SNEAK THIEF.
Some of the Rackets He Now Works with
Great Success.
IChirnUp News

'',ro the casual observer matters appear
quiet in police circles" said a detective to
Il News reporter, "but to any experienced
police officer it is evident the crooks are
up and doing. 1t seems as if they were
degenerating into 'sneaks They seem to
have lost their former courage and are do
ing less house breaking and safe blowing
than in the past. Perhaps this is due to
the fact that the boldest leaders are serv-
ing time. The crooks abroad are just as
dangerous, however, because they plan
and execute some fine 'sncaks, and fire.
quently get away with considerable booty,
and all the time conceal their aims so skill
fully that the victim does not suspect the
theft or even the loss until too late to eff
feet the capture of the criminal
II will give you few samples of their
present work. continued the officer.
The street thief who used to snatch Il
ladys hand satchel from her on the side
walk, now carries up his sleeve a strong
wire with which to strike the lady a blow
ON the hand sufficiently hard to cause her
to drop the satchel. He politely picks it
mp and hands it to her, abstracting the
money so cleverly that she does not know
OF her loss until in II short time she wants
to pay for her purchases. Again the fell
low drops a worthless ring in front of
lady. Hastily pickingit up he offers it to
her, and while insisting that she dropped
it, cuts the gold chain around her neck,
sometimes securing her watch, or else
opens her satchel, and with the wire CON
cealed in his sleeve takes out the money.
| These fellows are termed fly tramps.'
"The painters racket is new out west.
! Two or three men go to residence and
tell the person who opens the door that
they We're sent to take measurements for
repainting.the woodwork. They are adj
mitted to every room in the house, and are
usually successful in stealing jewelry.
They take true measurements, however,
and should they not get as much booty as
they want may be expected to break in
another time.
Looking for a canary bird is a similar
scheme. Two men, usually, rush to a
house, representing they live in the neigh
borhood, say their bird has just gained its
freedom and flown in through an open
window. They are shown to several
rooms on the floor designated and, while
/ looking through them, pocket jewelry and
/ silVerWare.
Women in league with thieves prove eX
pert 'sncaks' in hotels. The woman reg
| listers and secures an apartment. a visit
to the dining room makes her familiar
| with the financial circumstances of other
! guests, and having selected woman who
| wears good iewelry, she learns the num-
/ Der of her victims room. She then asks
permission to get an umbrella shat she
/ left there, claiming that she occupied the
| room just before the new conner. The ID
ter to be polite, institutes search for tile
| umbrella, which of course, is never found,
and while doing SO her diamond earrings
and necklaces disappear mySteriOuSly and
are never seen afterward by their rightful
owner.
1T hrs become favorite plan with fly
! pickpOckets, made up as Italians or Jews,
| To become street vendors of sleeve buttons
and similar articles. At least two work
together at this game, and while the ven
der is doing his utmost to make sale his
| pal relieves the victim of his watch