Pick pockets; Deceptive Techniques

 

 

 

For many people you mention pick pockets, and the first reaction is to think of petty thieves who use deceptive techniques to steal possessions people carry in their pockets or bags.  However, pick pocket magic is often used by magicians and street entertainers, who temporarily borrow possessions from audience members without them knowing.  Of course the magician or street entertainers return them as part of the performance wooing the entire audience with their amazing slight of hand.
The art of pick pocketing is one of the oldest crimes in history.  Traditionally the crime arose when people simply didn’t have enough food for their families.  Following the most basic human instinct for survival and protection of their family they simply took from others something that could sell or trade for food.  They tended to be acts of opportunistic theft, rather than planned. Some of the most famous pick pockets in literary history were the orphan boys in Charles Dickens’ famous novel Oliver Twist.
Pick pockets can also be magicians.  Many magicians like to include temporary pick pocketing in their performances.  Often, this means that the magician will pick the pocket of an audience member that has been selected to participate in the show.  During the performance the magician will astound the participant and the audience by fishing an item, for example the participants watch or wallet out of the performer’s own pocket.
So how do they do it?  Street magicians use comedy, mystery and pick pocketing to create a series of tricks.  Street magicians are masters of diversion. Choosing the right person in the crowd or audience is very important.  Magicians who pick pockets in magic shows will have picked out suitable targets.  This might be people that seem distracted, or those that have backpacks or that may be holding their jacket in their hands.  Excellent targets may also be with their child.  Often pick pockets will be opportunistic, having already selected the participant they wish to choose to join their trick well before the trick involving the audience begins. They may have simply shook hands with many audience members and discreetly unclipped the participants watch.  Alternatively they may mask the pick pocketing with clumsy behaviour by tripping in amongst the audience, and using this disruption to pick pockets. From an audience perspective, tricks involving pick pockets are impressive.  One wonders how the person who is missing their watch or wallet may not have noticed this personal intrusion.
Still, despite the role of pick pockets in the entertainment world travellers are warned to be wary of pick pockets.  Countries such as Spain and Italy are rife with pick pockets and generally focus on tourists in busy areas.  Some of the most aggressive pick pockets are gypsies. The most deceitful aspect of pick pockets today is the use of small children to distract the victim whole others in the gang get to work pick pocketing wallets and other valuables. As entertaining as pick pocket magic may be, it still pays to beware of pick pockets!

 

 

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