Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-03-06
THE WAYS OF pIcKPocKErs.
A Veteran Boston Detective Tells How
They Ply Their Trade.


They Ply Their Trade.
|
Women are the most successful
pickpockets."
1t was Police Inspector Knox who
said it. and he knows Nobody in town
would dispute his right to be called the
best man in town in this line Of detect
i've service. He uses almost his entire
time in watching for pickpockets, and
what he says about them is peculiarly
interesting.
Said the Inspector, in explanation of
the somewhat surprising statement
quoted above. The female professional
pickpockets always seek victims among
their own sex, rs the women of to-day
are given to carrying their pocket
books aud watches in exposed places
Then, too, the thieves are less apt to be
suspected because of their sex, and
most important of ALL for the reason
that in the wide range of style of
women's wraps nowadays they find
plenty of opportunity to hide their
hands while at work. A shawl or wrap
lessly carried on the left arm, hides
the right hand while it feels for the
location OF a pocket and then makes its
way TO the pocket opening, where the
top of the lining is seized by the fingers.
IL is then but a moments work to draw
the lining up until the pocket is practi-
cally turned inside out and the contents
drop into the pickpocket's hand The
fingers which do this work are never
inserted deep into the pocket They
just catch the lining of the upper edge.
The trick is done in crowd where
eyerybody's attention is riveted on a
special object where touch of a
Strangers hand or even rough jostling
itself is not needed. "
Generally pickpocket has a confed-
crate. Then it, as sometimes happens
the loss of poeketbook is Immediately
discovered, the real thief, having
passed the purse to the confederate,
can be as sympathetic as anybody, and
if suspicion makes it absolutely
necessary. can submit to an examina-
ton with the same confidence in the
result that might be felt by the most
innocent person present. IL is the
wrap, however that gives the female
pickpoekcts the great advantage over
the light-Gugered thieves Of the other
SEX. and the latter Try TO overcome this
10y using an oyercoat if the weather is
not So cold that an oyercoat carried ON
the arm will attract attention, or
linen buster in summer Sometimes
the men make a newspaper answer the
purpose. Ii the male pickpockets are
not the more successful they are at
least the more adroit and audacious.
They have to be so, for they don't con-
fine themselves to womeu's pockets.
They seldom try to take money from
mems pockets, US close-ltting clothes
make the risk of detection too great;
but they find it an easy matter to steal.
or. as it is termed, ring watches
from men. This is done while the vic
tim. with unbuttOned coat aud expand
ed watch chain, stands in street
crowd. The thief slyly gets the watch
from the pocket with one hand, while
with the other he grasps the chain
at the lower end. A short, quick jerk
with both hands in opposite directions,
and the ring which is the connecting
link between the chain and the watch
becomes separated from the watch
stem. The watch is then in the hands
of tine thief while the chain and ring
are dangling down the front of the vic
Tins wa stcOat
A person has but to try this trick
with his own watch TO see how easily it
may be done. pickpockets do ,hese
things In crowds but they cannot AL
ways iud a crowd, aud sometimes have
b., f.a-.rf IN D,alintr ana tIaua -alyas