The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-03-22
THE SNEAK THIEF.
Some of the Rackets He now Works
With Great Success.

ITO the casual observer matters ap-
pear quiet in police circles" said de-
tective TO a News reporter, "but to any
experienced police officer it is evident
the crooks are up and doing. 1t seems
as if they we're degenerating into
'sneaks.' They seem to have lost their
former courage and are doing less house
breaking and safe blowing than in the
past. Perhaps this is due to the fact
that the boidest leaders are serving
time. The crooks abroad are Just as
dangerous. however, because they plan
and execute some fine 'sneaks,' and fire.
quently get away with. considerable
booty, and all the time conceal their
aims so skillfully that the victim does
not suspect the theft or even the loss
until too late to effect the capture of the
criminal
81 will give you a few samples of their
present work" continued the officer
l-''The street thief who used to snatch q
lady's hand satchel from her on the
sidewalk, now carries up his sleeve
strong wire with which to strike the
lady a blow on the hand sufficiently
hard to cause her to drop the satchei
He politely picks it up and hands it to
her, abstracting the money so clevelly
that she does not know of her loss until
in short time she wants to paw for her
purchases. Again a fellow drops a
worthless ring in front of lady. Hasti-
~ picking it up he offers it to her, and
/ WhiIo in cicfino fb of che dr0nnaI n &c
the gold chain around her neck, some
her satchel, and with the wire concealed
in his sleeves takes out the money.
These fellows are termed 'fy-tramps.'
THE painters racket is new out
west. Two or three men go to the resi-
dence and tells the person who opens
the door that they were sent ito
take measurements for repainting the
woodwork. They are admitted to every
room in the house, and are usually sue
cessful 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 an
other time.
Looking for a canary bird is SINH
Lar scheme. Two men, usually, rush to
a house, representing they live in the
nelghborhood, 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
expert 'sneaks' in hotels. The woman
registers and secures an apartment. A
visit to the dining room makes her
familiar with the financial circum-
stances of other guests, and having
selected woman who wears good
jewelry, she learns the number of her
victims room. She then asks to get
an umbrella that she leftthere claiming
that she occupied the room Just before
the new conner. The latter to be polite,
Institutes a search for the 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 right
full owner.
ut has become fayorite plan with
fly pickpeekets, 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 vender is doing his utmost to
make sale his pal relieves the victim
of his watch"