CRIMINALS5 WORLD TOURS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1921, Page 1

CRIMINALS 5 WORLD TOURS.

(By G. Crook, in a London paper). The big robberies of jewellery in the south of France recently are a reminder of the übiquity of the modern criminal. The thieves may have been local men, but the probability is that they were" importations from England or Australia or the United States.

Criminals engaged in the “big push” are much-travelled men. The whole world is their hunting ground. A few thousands of miles are of little moment with thousands of pounds as the ultimate goal. Expert jewel thieves, confidence tricksters, card sharpers, exponents of the “infallible” betting system—all at one time or another make tours of the world, if necessary, in order to pick up wealthy victims and by skilful nursing lull them into the belief that dishonesty is a silly rumour instead of an irrefragable fact. It does seem strange to the millions of people who have earefuly to guard their shillings that men are to be found who will handle thousands of pounds to comparative strangers, only to find when too htte that they have been wickedly deceived.

A fool and his money, we are told, soon part: yet, as a matter of fact, it is the man who regards himself as shrewd and careful who is most sought after by these ingenious intriguers. The fool is apt to be too suspicious and, anyway, he has not much money. Every liner that leaves this country has among its first-class passengers criminals who are making the voyage for tho, pleasure of “working.” They spend money freely, make themselves agreeable, mark down their victims, get to know all about their business, and at the journey’s end —it may be the United States, Australia, the Far East, or back again in Old England—fleece them of all their money by swindling, if this has not already been done by card sharping. Not long ago a confidence trickster, since dead, went to Australia for the benefit of his banking account. He paid his expenses at cards on the way out. On the return trip he met a wealthy fellow-traveller. They occupied cabins next to one another. By the time they reached Plymouth they were old chums. A luxurious motor car took them to London. The new friend was introduced to other charming friends, who took him out to lunch and dinner and the theatre, and spent hundreds of pounds in entertaining him.

Within a. month lie had given his friends a cheque for £12,000 because ho was told that a certain horse was bound to win a certain race and in any ease the money was sure to lx* returned to him tenfold. The usual awakening came. Card sharpers in the West End are now having rather a rough time because the police will not leave them alone. One of these gentlemen went to New Zealand eighteen months ago without a penny in his pocket. He came ba - by way of Australia, the United States, the Far East, Germany, and France, and when he arrived in London again he deposited £4,200 in his bank.