How to pick pockets for fun and profit - Book

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How to pick pockets for fun and profit - Book

Postby Zebedee0 » Nov 24th, '06, 15:04



How to pick pockets for fun and profit - A magician's guide to pickpocket magic - Eddie Joseph


Usually around £5-7


Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)


Review
A book that claims to show you how to secretly remove anything from the pockets of people.

Fairly poor book IMO, for beginners wanting to find some methods to help them anyway. The description on the back is slightly misleading because inside he actually says..

"I have purposely not refferred to the manner in which your hand should operate in the pocket... I have not given you specific instructions on removing many items such as belts, cufflinks, bracelets, necklaces... "

Not to mention that he refuses to tell you how to pick anything from someone's front pockets.

Other things I didn't like in the book was the getting caught section. Which basically says if the volunteer is aware that you are picking his pocket but the audience isn't, then to whisper to him to play along! And then the section of stealing a shirt involves using a stooge who you 'randomly' pick from the audience and who is also wearing the shirt in a specific way to make it easier for you to take off.


Overall
There are a few good things in the book, but on the whole it's pretty poor if you're new to pickpocketing and you're looking for a well explained book on the subject.

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Postby Tomo » Nov 24th, '06, 15:14

Thanks for an honest review.

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Postby Lord Freddie » Nov 24th, '06, 17:06

Good honest review. The description of this book, from the blurb, sounds great but unless you spend your money you never know.
Thanks for that, I've been after a good book about this subject, this is obviously not the one.

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Postby Scott Daly » Nov 24th, '06, 17:24

I have this book, and was also disappointed! Think I read through it once and decided I wouldn't really use anything from it. I had no fun and certainly haven't seen any profit!!!!

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Postby Mahoney » Nov 24th, '06, 17:25

Anything by James Freedman is recommended. http://www.pickpocket.co.uk/ His book is only £5. The dvd and book cover the same material so if you got the dvd you wouldn't really need to get the book as well.

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Postby copyright » Nov 24th, '06, 17:46

There is no magical secret to picking pockets or removing belts and jewellry. Books will leave you largely unsatisfied. Basically, the method is to remove the items without your 'victim' noticing. This is achieved in most cases by giving them something else to notice.

In the real world a very successful method of stealing items is to give the victim something totally astonishing to occupy their minds. For instance, gangs targetting airports were caught spraying fake cobwebs on the backs on unsuspecting travellers. A confederate of the thieves would approach the victim and start pulling off the cobwebs and shouting in a foreign language. Others would approach and ask the victim what the stuff is. He doesn't know, in fact, is totally shocked. By the time the cobwebs have been dusted off, the guy's bag, wallet and other items have all disappeared.

In Oxford Street, young girls would ask for directions. Their English would be bad and the person giving directions would have trouble understanding them and being understood. After much gesturing and pointing he finally gets the message and gives the directions. Later he will discover his pockets empty.

If you are a magician onstage. There must be hundreds of astonishing things you can do to occupy the minds of your potential victims. The actual technique of taking items is pretty straightforward. It's exactly how you'd imagine it to be.

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Postby JackWright » Nov 24th, '06, 17:51

thanks for the review. I'd agree with mahoney, I have the Freedman DVD is good, and I got it free. hehe! :lol:

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Postby copyright » Nov 24th, '06, 17:54

was it in someone's pocket?

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Postby Lord Freddie » Nov 24th, '06, 18:05

The book Theatricak Pickpocketing by Ravel, which I have seen on alakazam looks like a more tempting prospect. Has anyone read this one?

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Postby Misanthropy » Nov 24th, '06, 18:45

Get a dvd called "Stealing the show" its really good and I got it for free cause magictricks.co.uk were giving away a top 5 dvd with every order

"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken"
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Postby russellmagic » Nov 24th, '06, 20:28

funny, been thinking about this subject today. it is really hard to master. i hear at l&l.com they have a huge dvd selection on pick ocketin g which may be worth a look. :wink:

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Postby jonathanr1 » Oct 22nd, '10, 22:34

i have this book and i agree it doesnt tell you how to atchully take objects from front pants pocket.

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Postby mark lewis » Oct 23rd, '10, 02:57

This is an old book and at one time was the only one giving any information on the subject. It was quite good for it's day. As for the "Play Along" whispering that is a very valid technique and I hate to tell you all but virtually every stage pickpocket of my acquaintance has made use of stooges. Hardly any of them admit it but I can assure you that it is the case, certainly with all the past masters such as Vic Perry, Ricky Dunn etc;

Talking of Ricky Dunn he probably wrote the best pickpocketing book of the lot. And furthermore I thoroughly recommend this book even if you never pick a pocket in your life. Some of the advice on handling spectators, stooges and general stagecraft is invaluable.

I forget the name of the book but it is fairly recent and some knowledge box on this forum will no doubt supply the title.

And yes. I have read the Jimmy Ravel book. Very good indeed and worth buying but in my opinion the best one of all is the Ricky Dunn book. The anecdotes alone make it worth it.

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Postby ProMagic » Jan 24th, '11, 16:02

LOL A book that teaches how to steal. Every kid needs this :lol: :lol: :lol: :D

Sounds cool

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Postby Erwin » Jan 24th, '11, 16:20

ProMagic wrote:LOL A book that teaches how to steal. Every kid needs this :lol: :lol: :lol: :D

Sounds cool


It should be noted that any attempt to implement the techniques in the book outside the realm of stage entertainment will likely result in actual bodily harm being occasioned upon the reader.

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