RINGING THE CHANGES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 5

RINGING THE CHANGES.

•..... •_—_—__ THE BRUMMAGEM BUSTLE." : Tho time-honoured criminal method of owning a dishonest''penny known to the craft arid the police as "ringing the changes" or " the Brummagem bustle," made its aj?pearanco ; at the Magistrates' Court on Friday,' after a considerable interval in the /background. Tho fact that-no cases have come before the Court for a long time, however, does not signify that the changes have not been rung, because they are frequently rung so cleverly'that the' victims know '.nothing;.about it. The Brummagem bustlers, according .to the police, aro generally the lower typo of spieler, or a spicier propor'who is . down on his luck and " wants to get off tho.''mark" again.; The swindle,-which is invariably worked by, two men, is run something oil; tho following lines, although the methods of each company of. thieves'naturally x yar'y;'.a littlr. Tho two operators make their way to a likely-looking shop, frequently a confectioner's establishment, and ono goes inside and asks for, six pennyworth of cases. He puts, down half ii sovereign arid is givefi 95., 6d. change. Suddenly, as though lie has just discovered'the , fact, the thief says ho" has., got sixpence,, and say's to the shopman,-' ,"Givo me. the lialf-sovorcign," at the same time, "putting down the sixpence. The halfsovereign is placed on the counter, alongside tho 9s. Gd., the rush of events and the attractive small talk'of tho operator-.mean-while engaging the shopman, or shopgirl for preference. The thief, pursuing his end. for all he is worth, then says he has too much silver to carry conveniently, mid asks for a £1 note in place of the change on the counter. Ho pushes his own half-sovereign, . the',- 9s.- 6d. of. the shopman, and his own „ sixpenco across tho counter and gets tho £1. At, ithis stage, thief No. ,2 appears on tho sceno to draw the shop assistant's mind off the transaction. He is in a great liurry to 'catch a tram, and hustles the- assistant to give him.liis sixpenny.worth of biscuits, or some such small goods, immediately. By this time, if the scheme has been worked successfully; as it' generally'is, No. 1 has pot his £1 for 10s. 6d., and departs as quickly as ho can. Tho swindle, although it appears clumsy on paper, lias brought many a pound to ; a clever spieler..