SCIENTIFIC WATCH- STEALING. An Expert Explains His Method of Operation.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 338, 30 January 1889, Page 6

SCIENTIFIC WATCH- STEALING. An Expert Explains His Method of Operation.

£X English prison official relates the following story : — ' When speaking one day to a convict, a professional pickpocket, to whom I was giving a word or two of friendly counsel, I asked him why he could not turrit over a new leaf and become an honest man. 'I could not, sir,' he replied; *I must pick pockets. I would* take your watch tomorrow if I mot you on .the Strand; • not,' he added, ' but what I'd give" it back to you, for you've bee"n very kind io me. Would you like to know how to prevent your watch , being stolen ?' he continued ; ' just let me have it for a minute.' Curious to learn a useful hint, I was about to draw my watch from my pocket, when I found that it was already in the export's hand, without myexperiencingtheslightest touch. He then explained to me that the most approved method of detaching a watch from its owner was tohold the ring to which thechain was attached firmly between the finger and thumb, and then, with a sharp twist, snap the steel pivot connecting watch and ring, leaving the watch free in the thief's hand ana the ring on the chain. •* A dead loss to us,' he added, with cool effrontery, 'of 6 shillings.' He then showed me that if the ring and watch were connected by a swivel joint, the difficulty of watch -_ stealing' would be increased so much as to make it scarcely worth the risk.