talkmagic.co.uk

by **saxmad** » Apr 18th, '05, 00:14

Of course, all this talk of larceny and police would be irrelevant if your 'victim' chose, instead, to punch your head until you stopped moving!

For practising you MUST use friends, not strangers.

For performing it must be in a safe environment where your 'victims' understand what you are doing.
Remember a good pickpocket can tell his 'victim' he will be pickpocketed and then procede to do so - they don't have to be unaware of your intentions.

Get hold of the videos - they show you how to practise and what the problems are.

by **jbmagic** » Apr 19th, '05, 23:31

I am not probably adding anything new to this thread, but I am in the process of learning this too and I think that it is important that you keep the practicing on friends and family until you have reached a certain level that you are confident to go out and perform.

Then when you are ready to perform or put it into your act, you should inform the people who are hiring you to perform that you are going to use pick pocketing in your act, so that if you are caught there will be no embarassing situations.

Finally as already mentioned, there are a few good books and a nice DVD on the market right now that teaches and advises the above principles.

by **Brannmanndan** » Nov 25th, '08, 15:19

Another way of making sure you don't get into trouble is showing the wallet or watch to the victims friends behind his/her back. This way at least their friends know you're not trying to rob them and will vouch for you.

by **mark lewis** » Nov 25th, '08, 15:42

You don't need a human being to practice pickpocketing on. I am actually learning this at the moment. I have been quite inspired after watching the great Paul Potassy do this.

For watches get a broomstick, a reasonably thick towel, some parcel tape and a few watches. Roll the towel around the broomstick and tape it down. You now have something resembling a human arm and wrist. Put the watches on and practice merrily away. You do have to balance the broom somehow and I haven't quite figured that bit out yet. Put it over a table with the watches end jutting out I suppose.

As for stealing from coat pockets ( I don't bother with trouser pockets) I have been getting results by using a coat hanger and hanging the coat up somewhere at a certain height and going from there.

Eventually you will have to find human beings to somehow practice with but the above system should get you started.

by **Lee Smith** » Nov 25th, '08, 18:45

Hi,

I dont do alot of this sort of thing but i do do a watch steal from time to time,

A good way to practice if you know the common methods? is to practice on yourself by turning the watch upside down on your wrist and taking it off with the other hand.

I found this really usefull.

by **Chris** » Nov 26th, '08, 14:51

How the heck do you practice pickpocketing without, well, going out and breaking the law?

I usualy practice on people i semi-know...for example, I was at a resturant, the owner knows im a Magician but doesnt know me that well...I told him I was gona show him a card trick...now when the watch got stuck at the last minute he looked and said "oih stop trying to knick my watch u cheeky git" and then we laughed it off...But I wudnt suggest practicing on complete stranger ull get thumped

by **richard bellars** » Nov 26th, '08, 15:32

A great way to practise the technique of watch stealing is to wrap a tea towel around a broom handle. It becomes about the size of a wrist and you can get proficient at the actual mechanics. However....alot of the performance is your ability to misdirect and routine the watch steal so something else is going on at the same time. Chappy Brazil has an amazing dvd on the subject and i highly recommend it.
So once you have a routine and the mechanics correct it is a case of diving right in and having a go. I bricked it the first time because i was so aware of what i was doing..then after a while i learnt that it is like palming a card, the hardest thing to hide is the guilt. If you are still unsure then start by stealing off people you know and thus a capture doesn't involve an angry spectator just a sly wink to a family member or friend.

Good luck buddy

Richard Bellars

by **richard bellars** » Nov 26th, '08, 15:36

sorry i got so caught up reding the law posts i didn't read all the posts which i basically just repeated lol. My bad but great advice everyone!

You'll look back and wonder what you ever so scared of in years to come...

by **Robbie** » Nov 27th, '08, 14:49

On the DVD "Stealing the Show", James Freedman demonstrates all the moves on a mannequin or tailor's dummy. He suggests if you can't afford a mannequin, try hanging up a jacket or trousers (or both) on a hanger at the right height. I would think it would work better if you could pad them out a bit so they're not hanging flat.

The professional pickpocket gangs in South America are said to learn their trade on a dummy covered with jingle bells. They "graduate" by stealing from any pocket without ringing the bells.

by **Mandrake** » Dec 26th, '14, 22:26

Bumpety bump.....

Worth a read - http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2014062 ... -your-mind

by **TonyB** » Dec 26th, '14, 23:09

The answer to the original question is blindingly obvious. You practice the moves on a mannequin until you are ready to practice on a friend who will patiently stand through it hour after hour until you can do it. If you are not prepared to put in this investment in time, move on to a different branch of the art. After friends move on to people you semi-know in informal situations, and when you can do it there, you are ready to perform. For some arts there are no short-cuts.

by **m0lsx** » Dec 27th, '14, 10:56

TonyB wrote: If you are not prepared to put in this investment in time, move on to a different branch of the art. After friends move on to people you semi-know in informal situations, and when you can do it there, you are ready to perform. For some arts there are no short-cuts.

You mean there is no miracle gaff available :shock:

Out of interest a few years ago I brought myself "Stealing the Show" http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/sutra167891.php&highlight= I had no intention of learning, but wanted to know more about the art & was I surprised at just how close the way James Freedman suggests we learn pickpocketing is, to that shown in Oliver Twist is.

TonyB wrote: You practice the moves on a mannequin until you are ready to practice on a friend

by **mark lewis** » Dec 29th, '14, 04:26

The best book on this subject is the one by Ricky Dunn. I always forget the title of books but I get a vibe you will all find it somehow. However, even if you never pick a pocket in your life I STILL recommend the book. There are hints galore about handling people on stage, audience management and some great stories. And a fair bit of magic too. The electric chair stunt is in there too. It is a great book.