High Society Thiefs

 

THE HIGH SOCIETY THIEF

Expatriates from England. Stealing only portable and valuable items.

A Stolen Bank Check at a Wedding. Professionals in pick-pocketing. Thefts at Funerals. Theater and Church Thieves.

Each class exhibits unique methodologies; their actions share similarities in nature and approach. Detectives rely on these specialized skills, developed over years, to solve crimes and achieve justice. Of course, criminals may commit a murder, a burglary, or a theft; a thorough detective will always carefully study every case that comes before him to determine exactly by what means and in what manner the criminal performed the deed. Then, if the developments reveal the work of a professional criminal, he will recall, from the criminals he knows, someone whose past work closely resembles the case. Few thieves conduct operations in all manners, everywhere. The majority develop expertise in a specific method of operation and subsequently conduct their activities within a defined group or demographic. It is an unquestionable fact that there is a fine art in roguery as there is in the honest callings of the world, and men in this branch of labor, soon discover their peculiar fitness or adaptability for certain grades of work, just as in the trades and professions, individuals develop certain gifts which lead to prominence, fortune and success. A person may steal and soon realize that some places and methods make theft simpler and safer. Certain places offer him greater opportunities for theft, allowing him to take property with less risk of being caught. As a matter of course, the intelligent thief selects these in his future operations, and this leads to the creation of certain fancies about their work which cling to them for extended periods of time. They grow to form affections for certain places and certain people, and having a sort of pride in their operations, all these influences contribute to keeping him in a certain well-defined routine, which is of vast importance to the detective and materially facilitates his investigations. Because of this method, key classifications are now acknowledged and familiar to experts working in criminal investigation and justice. So clearly are these classifications defined, it would be a comparatively simple matter to compile an extensive list of the crooked people who have either fallen into or deliberately chosen and consistently followed their own peculiar lines of work. Detectives do not chase only daring murderers and desperate burglars. There is a class of criminals in active practice at the present time, who display exceeding ingenuity and artistic skill in other operations, and my labor in the present instance would be incomplete without devoting a brief space to their description. "Society Thieves" is an appropriate name for them, and we can find them at all levels of modern society. The victims' reluctance to publicize the crimes means the general community knows very little about the society thief's movements; what they know is so incomplete and unsatisfactory that they cannot grasp the extent and manner of their operations. Detectives frequently encounter such individuals, and because of the increasing prevalence and boldness of this category of criminals, the attendance of a detective at any significant social gathering has become as integral as that of the guests themselves. Large gatherings may require up to six detectives. The society thief is invariably a man or woman with more social standing than means to support it. Lately, needy but pretentious adventurers, whom English society purged, and who sought refuge in America, have largely composed them. They are now preying on our wealthy and intellectual social circles. The social gathering that offers the best opportunities for stealing is the wedding in high life, and the wedding thief, as a general thing, has matters entirely in his own way. Although his biggest obstacle is getting access, sometimes his reputation leads to an invitation. Sometimes, he pretends to be a newspaper reporter to get inside, and because people want publicity, they welcome him enthusiastically. He must enter unseen. Once inside, he selects overcoats, hats, and other clothing items, encountering no resistance. He reviews the various expensive presents to determine which of the smaller, more valuable items will suit him best, and then, when no one is watching, he puts them into his pocket or under his coat. On other occasions, they discreetly seek an opportunity to separate themselves from the crowd under some pretext, allowing them to conduct their work efficiently and undisturbed in the quieter areas of the house. Sometimes, they robbed entire houses while people danced downstairs. These thieves steal only portable and valuable articles, and work alone, but frequently a husband and wife will engage in the business together. This way, greater freedom and less liability for detection is the result. Recently, detectives caught a respectably dressed and exceedingly agreeable man and wife stealing some valuable trinkets that the host's little daughter had received at a birthday party. Later, someone discovered that while the father and mother were stealing, their son danced in the parlor with the young lady. Among the many presents exhibited at a fashionable wedding in New York City lately was a check from the father of the bride to the happy couple, for ten thousand dollars. The reception saw a bold thief steal the real check and replace it with a forgery. The situation became known only when the bride’s young husband attempted to collect the gift from his father-in-law. Despite extensive attempts to locate the bold thief, so much time had elapsed that there were no longer any viable suspects, leading to the eventual closure of the investigation. The grander and more public a wedding is, the greater the chances for thieves. When weddings take place in a church, expensive jewelry is often on display, providing an attractive target for skilled criminals. People typically dress in their finest clothes and most valuable jewelry for these occasions. A society thief is often highly skilled at pick-pocketing and adept with "palm nippers," a tool used to remove jewels quietly from people who are wearing them. He usually collaborates with a partner, handing over any stolen items to them. If caught, nothing links him to the crime, making it hard to prosecute him. Although it may sound bizarre, theft at funerals happens so often that detectives now consider it a specific area within professional crime, typically conducted by experienced male or female thieves. Individuals involved in theft at funerals often stay informed about affluent funeral events and are present whenever an opportunity arises for such activities. They take items from a house of mourning, such as ornaments or jewelry, with negligible risk of being caught. Funerals' publicity and the privileges that permit anyone who knew the deceased to visit, make access to many houses easy, even those that would otherwise be closed to them. The funeral thief often passes as an acquaintance of the deceased from outside the family, which allows him to swing around the home—a freedom he regularly exploits to take any valuables he comes across.