La Junta tribune., 1908-02-22
LONDON P|CKPOCKETS'
Tricky or Brutal and Vicious, Ac-
cording to Their Class.
METHODS OF THE GUN MOB
The False Arm Game and the Use 81
IN Psekst'sss ovseeest-Ths Pipe
en- Rst Pepper Triek-hs~ Gang
Win Pivsk 0 Vistin In . Crowd.

Win eivsk . Victim In . Crowd.
IGun mob h simply English thieves
slang for = pickpocket and his gang Of
confesSrrates-"sen who reap
an annual harvest Of anything they
can lay their hands upon in = crowd.
summer time, when race courses, ath-
,etic grounds and seaside places are
crowded, IL the pickpockets favorite
.lpd most pro6tabie season. aud when
an event occurs like u royal garden
party at Windsor the light fingered
gentry positively chncke.
Twenty plain clothes detectives at
Tended the last garden party 10 pro
'fect his una Jesfy's guests from the
tricks OF the pickpockets, but the latter
left Windsor richer by hundreds OF
pounds In spite OF Scotland Yard aud
"a rried away with them the gold
hunter watches Of several OF the titled
guests.
Al one time the modern detective
was apt To desplse the pickpocset
somewhat. characterizing him ~ low
and not particularly clever thief His
ingenuity, daring aud coolncSs today.
however. compel our admiration. to
quote one of the cleverest detectives.
"apd We feel pleased when We lay
one Of them by the heels.
The British pickpockets tricks are
many and various. aud he is adding to
their number every day. The false
arm game is one Of the cevercst and
In calculated 10 deceive detective.
even although he may have his eyes
on the operator A coat Is thrown
loosely over = false arm, which Is held
naturally. Apparently both Of the
pickpockeis hands are In View. while
In reality the skiiifnl fingers OF one
hand are going through the pockets OF
the man beside him.
/. The use Of the pocketlcss overcoat. ot
the cape coat. which makes an entire
cover for the hands. Is an old dodge.
which nevertheless Is still popular
with the pickpocket. He often pre-
fer~ however. to use novel inyeh
tion known us The Sash method. The
sash consists OF piece of binck SILK
or alpaca two yards long and three
quarters wide. II Is folded the same
as neck scarf and crossed centrally
beneath the coat and vest. both ends
being brought under the arms and
placed IN the hip pockets OF the trou'
sers. When ready FOR action the tool"
as the man is called who Actually
picks the pocket. places his hands bc
hind the folds Of this device. and 1t
enables him to conceal his purpose. n
he fronts man to rob him OF his
watch or money II the latter is In his
trousers pocket.
A tool" however. has other means
OF covering his hands without resort
Ing to the aid of coat or sash. \
newspaper or thcater programme IL
often used. Beware OF looking over
4 strangers shoulder to glance at
newspaper or programmed little ne
fion we ARE often guilty OF when II
only neccssitates turn Of the head
You may lie riskipg nothing. but. on
the other hand. you may he seated OF
standing 10y the side of u professional
pickpocket. who has only to hold the
paper nj certain angle while you are
enIrossed In some Item to cover his
movements as he relieves you OF your
valuables.
The black silk handkerchief and hat
are employed In the same manner n
the paper. only the former is some
times used In the sling method to
carry supposedly crippled arm. The
manner In which that arm would rest
against your face. as lf raised to avoid
some one striking IL. while the other
hand took your scarfpn aud watch
would excite compassion from the vic
tim himself.
The pickpockct's most iastnrlly trick
but one. bc II noted. which IL only
used by the man who Is too clumsy tc
perform that slei.ht Of hand upon
which the clever thief prldcs himself
- that OF binding the victim with pep
per blown through pipe. The bowl
Of the latter is filed with false bot
tom aud second tube. the cavity below
the false bottom being filled with cay.
snnc pepper. while tobacco is placed
above IT, Approaching n gentleman In
An III lighted street. the thief asks for
. light Tor his pipe. and while the vic
tim feels for his matches he Is sudden
~ blinded by discharge OF cayenne
pepper. which the scoundrcl blows
through the hole In the bottom Of the
pipe into his eyes. Maddcned with the
terrible pain. the victim prcsseS his
hands 10 his eyes. and the robber
snatches his watch and chain and de
camps. to repeat his exploit on some
other unsuspecting pedestrian.
II IL not very often. however. that
the plckpocket works alone. although
women who belong 10 the light finger
ed fraternity-and who by the way.
are often more successful than men
usually prefer TO do 80. Men thieves
like to work in '.mobs." for the simple
reason that they can transfer the boo.