The Art Of Picking Pockets

Picking pockets has been a way young street urchins have made a living since the dawn of time.  Surely you’ve heard of Dickens’ ‘Artful Dodger’, right?  While this practice is highly illegal, many magicians and entertainers have mastered the art of picking pockets solely for the express purpose of wowing their audiences during their performances.  Of course, in these cases the property is returned to the owner and there is no harm done.

To be successful at picking pockets for entertainment purposes, you have to have quick hands or know how to use distraction to be stealthy when lifting the object you desire from another person’s body.  Master’s of the art are masters of both.  Not only is successful pick pocket masters of diversion with quick fingers they are infinitely patient.  They take their time to study the ‘room’ and find the right target or ‘mark’.  This is the person the pick pocket is going to steal from.  Entertainment pick pockets will usually lift things such as keys, wallets, and sometimes watches off the wrist of the mark if in easy reach.  The ‘mark’ should be distracted, say in conversation with another person, or alone.

Once the entertainer has found his mark, he will then begin the process of picking pockets.  He or she will make sure the mark is distracted by something and scan them for the prize.  When it is found, the pick pocket will then brush up against the mark and relieve them of the possession.  If the person is really good at this, the mark will never notice a thing until the see the entertainer up on the stage holding their property.  It is only then they’ll realize that it happened when the entertainer brushed up against them.  Distraction is the key to successfully picking a pocket.

When you realize that your property is now in the entertainer’s hand, you also realize that he or she blended into the crowd.  This is another key to being successful at picking pockets.  If they stand out, they will be remembered.  They will never run away, but will move quickly to put distance between themselves and the mark.  They will avoid areas in which cameras are predominant.  The next time you are at a party with a large crowd of people and a magician for entertainment, watch the way the magician moves around the room.  He or she could very well be setting up marks and picking pockets for the show.

Picking pockets is an illegal operation and if you ever find that it has happened to you in a setting that is not for entertainment purposes, such as a trip to the mall, make sure you alert the authorities as soon as possible.  Cancel all your credit cards and remember to keep your possessions a little closer to you at all times.

And if you should happen to be the mark of a picking pocket entertainer, enjoy the show instead of focusing on what was done.  Remember, picking pockets is all part of their show.