Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-23
CRIME IN FoGs.

CRIME IN FoGS.
When the London Crooks Reap q Rich
Harvest.
To most folk a London peculiar"
brings only discomfort or loss, but to
the criminal 1t means the opportunity
Of reaping a harvest, said detective
to the Tit-Bits man during the recent
fog. Fogs are perfect godsends to
thieves, and burglars would like them
to last forever. The fog not only
renders his chances of obtaining
booty much greater, but reduces
those Of his being caught to mini
mum.
During foggy weather household
ers cannot take too many precau-
tions. The gentleman known as a
casual buster" is very busy at this
time Of the year. This is the slang
term applied to kind Of second-rate
housebreaker-one who works en-
tifely without plan, but prowls around
q likely district trusting to chance
for an opportunity to touch" which
with him means "take." He keeps a
sharp lookout for such trifles as
an unlatched window or carelessly
secured door, which may afford him
an easy entry.
The latter is essential, for, as a
rule. he carries few tools; police
8n on night duty are apt to be sus-
picious of shabbily dressed men who
are out too late, or too early, as the
case may be, and housebreaking i'm
plements are so distinctive that they
insure conviction for any one who is
found carrying them. But on foggy
nights he can take a fuller outfit,
since 1t is easy to avoid the natural
enemy, and he Is altogether bolder
in his methods, because II the house
which he takes for a dead 'un"-an
inhabited house left unprotected
proves to contain inmates his escape
is a matter Of little difficulty. This
type of burglar never attempts vio-
lence unless cornered, and 1t may
comfort nervous people to know that
a noise which shows that he has dis
turbed the inmates is quite sufficient
to make him beat hasty retreat.
Needless to say, perhaps, the cas-
ual buster" Is looked down upon and
even despised by the expert cracks
man." whose work Is always the out
come of q carefully prepared plan,
and who, when he cracks a crib"
be it a house, a shop or a bank,
knows exactly what he expects to get
and where to look for it. Even this
artist, however, does not disdain to
make use Of the advantages a foggy
night offers, and many big burglaries
are planned accordingly for this time
Of the year.
Offenses which would entail almost
certain capture in fair weather be-
come comparatively easy Of accom-
plishment in a fog. Robbery with
violence from the person is one of
soled shoes, is able to approach and
take his prey entirely by surprise, and
ere a sound can be uttered he Is
"sandbagged" or half choked, and his
pockets emptied. Even should the
victim manage to cry out, by the time
possible hearer has located the di-
rection the assailant will have van
ished in the mist.
Another class Of rogues whom the
fog befriends is that terror OF jew
ellers, the window smasher. So far
as appearance goes, one might take
him for an ordinary mechanic or la
borer returning from work, with his
dinner can slung in a handkerchief.
But what the latter really contains Is
the better half of a brick, which, at
moment when the fog is thickest
and passersby few, is hurled into a
selected window. The result Is q
large hole, through which the thief
grabs a handful Of the valuables
within and decamps. So frequent
have these thefts become that many
jewellers now protect their wares by
means of steel latticework.
UnQer ordinary COnQlllOnS plChlH6
pockets is an art requiring long prac-
tice, but in a fog the veriest amateur
may at least try his hand with i'm
punity, since, unless caught and held
in the very act, he Is almost sure to
escape. Moreover, the condition or
the atmosphere offers abundant ex-
cuse for humping into folk, an acci-
| dent Of which even clumsy pilferer
can take advantage. The prevailing
fashion among the fair sex Of carry
ing their purses in handbags Is one
| that lays them specially open to rob-
berry, and a number Of thieves VINO
are not clever enough to pick pock-
cts make a living by simply snatch
ing these bags and bolting. Since this
is often done with success In broad
daylight it may be imagined how
| easy 1t Is in fog.
Another thing, always distrust the
man-no matter what his appearance
may be-who asks you the time on
foggy night. 1t Is an old thleve
| trick which Is still often made use OF.
At a glance an experienced "prig' can
see II your timepiece Is worth the
risk of taking, and If it Is he will
snatch 1t and bolt. Since he has
probably marked you down" and
followed you to a spot which oners
him an easy means of escape, your
chance of catching him Is practlcally
nil. Even should you succeed In DO
ing so the booty will, In most cases.
have been passed to confederate,
who has gone in another direction,
so that you have no proof.-T1t-Blts.