PICKPOCKETS AT WORK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1940, 24 December 1913, Page 5

PICKPOCKETS AT WORK.

GANG OPERATING IN AUCKLAND. (By Telegraph,—Pic:-3 Association.) Auckland, December 22. A band of very desperate pickpockets is at present operating in Auckland. Within the last few wccl;s quite a number of people have been relieved of purses, loose cash, watched, and chains, and trinkets. Tho trouble is that, although persons may bo suspected by the police of being pickpockets, they to be caught red-handed, in oruer to bring thorn to punishment. People getting into tramcars require to bo especially vigilant, for tho pickpockets hover round tho crowd, and securo purses during tho bustle of getting on board. Quite recently a gentleman riding on a Remuera car felt a kick at his sido, but it was not till ho wanted to pay his faro that ho found his trousers pocket turned insido out, and his cash missing. ■ Another gentleman on the Ponsonoy line had his pocket emptied a few days ago, but fortunately only lost a couple of shillings. On Saturday evening a gentleman was rolieved of his purse very'neatly as ho was boarding a car from Ponsonby, at the corner of Pitt Street. Two cars eamo along together, and as thero was a crowd at tho first one, ho wont to tho second. He noticcd a couple of men and two women bustlo up, and thero was a bit of a crush getting on the car. • As soon as lie was seated, he discovered that" his purse was missing from liis trousers pocket. Unfortunately this meant a loss of close on £G. Looking round the passengers, ho observed that the two men and tho two women who had bustled to tbo front wore not on board. The presumption, therefore, is that a gang of pickpockots operates by causing a crush at tho car, and in tho squeeze empties tho pocket most easily Rvailable.