Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Distraction thieves

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Distraction thieves

    Having done a look up for a couple in OZ i found a newspaper article of the trail of a couple who travelled to fairs mainly around the country in the 1850's.

    The MO was the girl would latch on to a young unsuspecting man , walk with him and on the promise of some hanky panky ,' i wont use the words the newspaper did ' she would pick his pocket and maybe assualt him to get away.

    Her male accomplice would be a few yards away and would intervene with his fists if she looked like being caught.

    This today would be regarded as a career criminal.

    Has anyone else got a reli who has become the victim of these sorts of crimes or even the perpertrator of such deeds.

    These two were in thier mid 20s .
    And as in todays world the lawyers for both tried the' people who were witnesses could not identify their clients' ploy.


    Peter

  • #2
    Human nature doesn't change much, does it?
    Looking for Bysh, Potter, Littleton, Parke, Franks, Sullivan, Gosden, Carroll, Hurst, Churcher, Covell, Elverson, Giles, Hawkins, Witherden...

    Comment


    • #3
      OH does have a 'career criminal' in his tree. He was in prison in 1871 and I was lucky enough to find him in the 19C newspapers. It was a sad story really - all petty stealing and stuff but he spent quite long periods in prison. In the end he'd been up before the court so often he was arrested for being 'a suspicious person' and given another 6 months

      His most amusing crime was stealing the corporation ferry boat on the River Hull and abanding it further upsteam!

      Anne

      Comment


      • #4
        Moll Flanders does a similar trick in the book of the same name by Daniel Defoe, it must have been a common happening (& probably still is)

        Comment


        • #5
          Perhaps i should rename the thread the oddest things they stole back in the 1800' s.

          I know of robbers in present day who stole a conveyor belt from a mine works .

          Two things strike me about that one is who would want a 3/4 mile conveyor belt ? and which pocket do you put it in.?

          Comment

          Working...
          X