Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 267, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1914 — WAYS OF PICKPOCKETS. [ARTICLE]

WAYS OF PICKPOCKETS.

“Lew Grade Dips’* Work In Pair*— Soma of the Trick*. Ajs a' usual thing pickpockets vary their methods to suit circumstances. Only the lower grade dips work In pairs These are the men who operate on street cars, elevated station platforms and similar places where they will find crowds of pushing people and have opportunity to escape' If detected,, 1

One of the pair shoulders a victim roughly while the other does the work and intake's a getaway. Arrests are frequent, but convictions rare, because the man captured seldom has the loot .

The higher grade dips also work In such places. The difference, according to the Bohemian, is that they work in ’groups and choose times when prosperous passengers will be ,In the majority. During the fashionable shopping hours and after the theatre at night are considered harvest times.

Last winter three dips worked a clever method In Chicago. Garbing themselves in evening clothes they mingled? in fashionable crowds in big cases, theatre exits and railway stations. One of the party was always hopelessly drunk and the others, apparently acting the part of Samari.tans, were hard put trying to keep him on his feet

With all their care, however, he would stumble occasionally and fall into groups"of ladles and gentlemen. Invariably the sober companions had apologized and taken the charge away before any one discovered the loss of valuables.