Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-06
LONDON %P|CKPOCKETS
Tricky or Brutal and Vicious, Ac-
cording 10 Their Class.
METHODS OF THE "GUN MOB"
The False Arm Game and the Use of
the PocketIess Overcoat-The Pipe
and Red Pepper Trick-How a Gang
Will Pluck a Victim In a Crowd.

Red Pepper Trick-HoW a Gang
Will Pluck a Victim In a Crowd.
Gun mob" is Simply English thieves
slang for u pickpocket and his gang of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." who reap
an annual harvest of anything they
can lay their hands upon in a crowd.
Summer time. when ace courses, ath-
letic grounds and seaside places are
crowded, is the p~ickpocket's favorite
and most profitable season, and when
an event occurs like a royal garden
party at Windsor the light fingered
gentry positively chuckle.
Twenty plain clothes detectives at
tended the last garden party to pro-
tect his majesty's guests from the
tricks of the p%ickpockets, but the latter
left Windsor richer by hundreds of
pounds in spite of Scotland Yard and
carried away with them the gold
hunter watches of several of the titled
guests.
At one time the modern detective
was apt to despise the pickpocket
somewhat, characterizing him as a low
and not particularly clever thief. His
ingenuity, daring and GOODNESS today,
however, compel our admiration" to
quote n of the %cleverest detectives,
land We feel pleased when we lay
one of them by the heels"
The British pickpocket's tricks are
many and various, and he is adding to
their number every day. The false
arm game is one of the cleverest and
is calculated to deceive a detective.
even although he may have his eyes
on the operator. A coat is thrown
loosely over a false arm, which is held
naturally. Apparently both of the
p~ickpocket's LANDS are in view. while
in reality the slillful fingers Of one
hand are gong through the pockets Of
the man beside him.
The use Of thc pocketless o%vercoat, or
the cape coat. which makes an entire
cover for the hands. is an old dodge.
which nevertheless is still popular
with the pickpockct. He often pre-
ferS, hoWGNeT, TO use Il novel inven-
ton known as the sash method. The
sash consists Of a piece of black silk
or alpaca two yards long and three
quarters wide. Ii is folded the same
as a 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 be-
hind the folds of this device, and it
enables him to conceal his purpose as
he fronts Il man to rob him of his
watch or money if 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. A
newspaper or theater programme is
often used. Beware Of looking over
a strangers shoulder to glance at a
newspaper OF programmed little ac-
ton we are often guilty Of when it
only neceSsitates Il turn of the head.
You may be risking nothing, but. on
the other hand. you may be seated or
standing by the side of a professional
pickpocket. who has only to hold the
paper at Il certain angle while you are
engrossed in some item to cover his
movements as he relieves you of your
v%aluables.
The black silk handkerchief and hat
are employed in the same manner as
4lo ~oror ,rJr tho Common. &c NY
times used in the sling method" to
carry a supposedly crippled arm. The
manner in which that arm would rest
against your face. as if raised to avoid
some one striking it. while the other
hand took your scarfpin and watch
would excite compassion from the vic
tim himself.
The pickpocket's most dastardly trick
but one. be it noted. which is only
used by the man who is too clumsy to
perform that sleight Of hand upon
which the clever thief prides himself
is that Of binding the victim with pep
per blown through a pipe. The bowl
Of the latter is filled with Il false bot:
tom and second tube. the cavity below
the false bottom being filled with cay
enne pepper. while tobacco is placed
above it. Approaching a gentleman in
an ill lighted street. the thief asks for
a light for his pipe. and while the VIC
tim feels for his matches he is sudden
~ blinded by a discharge Of cayenne
pepper. which the s%coundrel blows
through the hole in the bottom of the
pipe into his eyes. Maddened with the
terrible pain. the victim presses his
hands to his eyes. and the robber
snatches his watch and chain and de-
camps. to repeat his exploit on some
other unsuspecting pedestrian.
1t is not very often. however, that
the pickpocket works alone, although
women who belong to the light finger
ed fraternity-and who. by the way.
are often more successful than men
usually prefer to do so. Men thieves
like to work in "mobs." for the simple
reason that they can transfer the "boo-
die" from one to the other in a crowd.
Consequently if recognized by q de-
tective and arrested on suspicion there
il nothing in their possession on which