The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-17
TRICKS OF THIEVES.


DOdges and DEVICES tesorteu 10 by
English Crooks.
The lodges and devices as practiced by
the lower order of the London and subur-
ban thief have lately beer brought into
great prominence, says the London edi-
ton of the New York Herald. To focus
the trials of the Old Bailey and Middlesex
sessions, and TO study the circular that
has lately peer issued by the criminal in
v~estigation department at Scotland yard
are enough to satisfy the householder
that he must ever be on his guard against
the ingenious, light fingered and smooth
tongued gentry. A few days q a
| Herald representative met n converted
| thief who had in his time been perhaps
one of the greatest experts Of the art in
most Of its scientific branches.
The reformed thief told a funny story.
| He said that there are three stages TO pass
through before a man al become an ac-
complished thief. First, there is the pre-
paration, which consists of n man practic-
ing for weeks together i'm n room with
other would-be thieves the opening of
ladies' bags, relieving a TIL of its con.
tents, taking a watcl of a swivel, thieves
parlance and several other minor details
too important to the thief to be neglected.
Second, the thief has TO choose a compan-
ion, and this person, whether man or
woman, has to be taught the part he or
she has TO play. Third, there is the theft
to be carried out to a successful End
The thief said that the first theft he at
tempted was n most risky one n he can-
not account for its successful termination,
except that his disguise saved him.
Dressed in a suit of modern days and made
up with whiskers, the thief took a bed and
| .ss,.... 1000 l.. D..aEIl., H. III -.
been located i'm the West for two days be-
fore he called or a fashionable jeweller
and requested him to make a jewel casket
after a certain pattern and the slots TO fit
priceless jewels he selected i'm the shop.
In du course the case was sent home To
the thief's abode i'm charge of a trusted
OF the silver merchant. The
thief unpacked the case. examined the
contents and expressed his approval of
everything. Suddenly he calls the jewell
er's assistant To some picture on the wall
and the real casket is moved aside and its
counterpart finds a place in the thief's
hands. He then informs the silversmith's
man that as his firm do not know him he
had better take the casket and its rom
tents back to his masters and send on tn
| such and such an address, when the check
he presents him with is cleared. The cas-
ket is packed again and the man departs
with his burden and the check. The thief
| ulco lchNt Itt tht ItWtltT = Ifltu anu
| pawns the spoil he has so adv~antageously
come by. 1t is needless to describe the
look of CONSERVATION when the jeweler
opens his parcel.
After successfully carrying out this theft
the now considered expert thief takes
himself 10 fields and pastures new. He
enlists the aid of a companion, whom he
has been training for probably n year. A
shop i'm a money taking district is Sc
lected. The habits Of the people are
studied, and h time well noted when
only n person is behind the counter.
On n certain day the thief drives up i'm a
cab to the door of the shop. His compan-
ion is i'm waiting n enters the shop and
informs the attendant that n gentleman
who is lame wishes TO speak To him
from his cab. The unsuspecting shopman
Immediately caves his shop and attends
to his would-be customer in his
hired vehicle. While the poor lame
man is informing the shop proprietor that
he once dealt at his shop m he wishes
again to do so, his confederate is lifting
the till, which will probably contain sew
eral pounds. BY thet time the shopkecper
returns them man has gone and the cab de-
parted. This dodge is considered by the
police to be one of the cleverest tricks yet
invented for thieving.
Then again the sneak thief will watch
for days the habits of the Inhabitants of a
house. When he himself is satisfied. he
will most punctually call for the washing
or a carpet TO be beaten. The unsuspect-
ing housewife will let him take the goods
away, which he, In mine cases out OF ten
succeeds i'm pawning. The thief is also in
the habit OF calling in the name of the gas
man, tine waterworks MANTLE carpenters
man and any other man that Is required
i'm attendance on a house. He gains ad-
mittance and "sneaks" what he can. The
surprising part of the undertaking is tina,
the thief is never caught redhanded. An
other dodge is for the thief To watch the
master OF the house and then quietly go C
the front door and inform the mans wife
that liz master had bought certain PLAN
for a high price. He leaves the plant and
after some arguing the money is paid e
him, probably an amount II times the
value of the plant.
The thief went through all the phases oi
thiefdom except one without being caught
IL Is well known that the pickpocket Is
really clever in his art. His modus oper
andi is to catch the swivel Of the chain AZ
tached To the watch between his first finger
and thumb. To press the spring bacl
and take the watch off the chain Is but thu
work OF n moment. The thief who hat
weathered all other storms was caught IN
n most simple manner He endeavore,
TO extract n gentleman's watch. Thu
swivel was put on the reverse way-sprini
towards the body-and the thief had e
use his thumb to press the spring back
and IL is an impossibility to take a watcl
oil a chain swivel IN the thumb is used 70
pressing the spring. The thief was caugh
IN the effort of ~endeavoring To tear tn
watch away and was sentenced TO twelv'
months hard labor.