Pickpocketing

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pickpocketing is part of street crime and is a form of theft in which the perpetrator, the pickpocket , moves a foreign movable object that is in the immediate area of ​​influence ( on the body ) of another person (e.g. clothing or handbag , backpack , shopping bag ) , in itself with the intention of unlawfully appropriating it to itself or to a third party. In addition to wallets , since the widespread use of mobile phones , these have also been one of the favorite items of prey for pickpockets.

In Germany, the number of reports of pickpocketing fell significantly after a peak in 2015.

history

Pickpockets were first mentioned in the 13th and 14th centuries. Century. In 1585 there were reports for the first time of thief schools in which the handicraft of pickpockets was practiced on bell dolls. At that time there were many good pickpockets who had a special status among their fellows. The best known include George Barrington, John Dawson, Mimi Lepreuil (“la main d'or”), Lady Finger, Elizabeth West, John Larney, Emilie Kemnat and Sophie Lyons.

In the Middle Ages , pickpockets were called " bag cutters ". The term implies the description of the process: At the time it was customary to carry cash in a pouch on the belt. These thieves, too, often took advantage of the crowd on the streets or in a crowd . Other designations are the Low German term peat printer (peat = bag, printer = steal), Chailefzieher (chelef = colloquially money), paddle pusher from the Berlin colloquial language (Padde = wallet). Even then, the perpetrators also used the opportunity to distract the victim in other ways in order to cut off the bag unnoticed.

Similar methods are being used again today, especially in busy tourist areas. There the pickpockets (often motorized with mopeds ) cut the straps of the handbag or rucksack and snatch it from the owner. This is then criminally a robbery according to Section 249 StGB (Germany)

Criminal Statistics Germany

Total recorded cases of pickpocketing in the years 1987–2019 as a frequency figure (per 100,000 inhabitants).
Crime code: * 90 * 00.

The Federal Criminal Police Office annually publishes statistics on all criminal offenses reported in Germany, the police crime statistics . According to this, pickpocketing accounts for around 5% of all thefts in Germany. In contrast to the case of theft as a whole , where the number of cases has halved in the past three decades, the development of pickpocketing is inconsistent.

After a drastic increase in the early 1990s, the numbers stagnated, only to increase again enormously by 2015. The peak of the reporting period was reached in 2015 with 168,142 reported cases or 207 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. By 2019, the numbers had fallen as quickly as they had increased to just 94,106 cases or 113 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The clearance rate for the offense fluctuated by 6% over the past 15 years. The clearance rate for pickpocketing is the lowest of all offenses recorded in the police crime statistics. In addition, the high dark field must be taken into account.

Execution of the act

Organization based on division of labor

Most pickpockets work in teams of three to six criminals: one observes the surroundings, one distracts the victim, a third steals, and a fourth takes over the stolen property at lightning speed and disappears with it. Four A stand for spying on, distracting, performing an action, transporting away . At any stage, potential victims can disturb the thief. The model therefore belongs to the preventive education measures of the police.

In recent years, in some German cities such as Cologne, kicked repeatedly pickpockets in appearance (but not verifiable) under 14 years of age actually or supposedly, and therefore not criminally prosecuted for any length of time can be arrested. In many cases, police investigations lead to the suspicion that an adult incited the children to steal.

Perpetrators came z. B. in Hamburg in 2015 from North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria) and Southeast Europe (Romania). Gang crime is also sometimes involved . Territorial battles are fought among them. The pickpocket groups have to work until they have stolen a given sum per day. The middlemen collect the stolen funds and immediately transfer them abroad.

Typical dangerous situations

External circumstances such as crowds in public places or gatherings of people favor the execution of the crime, which is why the criminal police regularly call for special attention at such locations. The victims are spied on by observation. The pickpockets are waiting for an opportunity.

Hazardous situations are:

  • Narrow: crowds of people in traffic structures (train stations etc.), in means of transport, in department stores / shopping centers / supermarkets, in bars / discos / restaurants, at major events (concerts, trade fairs, sporting events, fairgrounds), when getting on and off, on escalators, at Sights, on promenade, at bus stops.
  • Physical closeness : It is brought about artificially by jostling, "hugging", artificially induced crowding, questions about the way, questions about products, soiling of clothes, involvement in conversations with flimsy questions, excessive willingness to help.
  • Victim is restricted: Variant 1: Disability, drunkenness, fatigue. The perpetrator sits down next to the victim and steals. Variant 2: In the anonymity of hospitals, patients are robbed.
  • Attention is distracted: At train stations this is on the information board for arrival and departure, on the platform in front of the car status display, when getting on and off.

Typical tricks of the pickpockets

The pickpockets' repertoire, their modus operandi , is extremely extensive.

Distract

  • Bumped into: On trains, buses, on escalators, in elevators, revolving doors, entrances and exits, the victim is bumped into by the perpetrator, or the perpetrator suddenly stops. A second perpetrator picks up the distracted victim and carries out the pickpocket.
  • Shoving: The perpetrator moves uncomfortably close to the victim. This turns away by turning and unintentionally presents its bag for theft.
  • Artificial traffic jam: The first perpetrator blocks access when boarding a railroad car. The second subsequent perpetrator steals the wallet from the traveler's backpack / travel bag.
  • Soiling: The perpetrator will wear the victim's clothing e.g. B. soiled with mustard or ketchup. The perpetrators "help" with cleaning and steal in the process.
  • Fake dance: a group of perpetrators surround the victim on the street, prancing around them. One of the perpetrators steals from the victim.
  • Football trick : Younger victims are addressed: “Do you know Ronaldo's latest trick?” The purse of the distracted victim is stolen by an accomplice.
  • Escalator trick: the perpetrator stands behind the victim on the upward moving escalator. Variant 1: An accomplice stops the escalator with an emergency stop. The perpetrator exploits the balance difficulties and the immobility of the victim when climbing the unusually high steps to access valuables. Variant 2: One perpetrator stands close to the victim (man) and distracts him, a second perpetrator steals the victim's wallet from his pocket. Variant 3: One perpetrator stands on the escalator in front of the victim, one behind the victim. At the end of the escalator, the perpetrator in front of it creates an artificial traffic jam. The victim runs up, the following perpetrator attacks.

Observe / Opportunity

Pickpocketing from a sleeping victim.
  • Observation at the cash / ticket machine : The location of the purse and handicaps of the victims are thus scouted out.
  • Mothers distracted by children : perpetrators steal from prams, shopping carts.
  • Bag / jacket put aside / unattended : The perpetrators attack in train stations, train compartments, buses, restaurants, cloakrooms.
  • Restaurant trick: The victim hangs his jacket over the back of a chair in the restaurant or puts his handbag on its side. The perpetrator takes a seat at the next table and steals valuables from the victim's jacket or steals the handbag.
  • Sleep victims: sleeping passengers are robbed by the perpetrators.

Concealed steal hand

Preparing for a pickpocket in Colmar. Victims were warned in good time.
  • Begging / covered hand: Variant 1: The perpetrator holds a cardboard sign in front of the victim asking for support. The victim looks in the change pocket. The perpetrator steals banknotes from the banknote compartment in the privacy screen of the shield. Variant 2: The perpetrator assumes the role of a blind man or a disabled person and hobbles towards the victim with a cardboard sign in his hand. Another perpetrator steals from the distracted victim.
  • Clipboard trick: The distraction is provided by an allegedly “deaf” or “deaf” fundraiser with a list of donations on a clipboard. The clipboard is held under the victim's nose and gestures. Possible harm to victims: theft from the wallet and / or donation fraud.
  • City map held up / newspaper held up / hidden hand: Option 1: The perpetrator asks for directions with a city map in hand. The perpetrator steals valuables from a handbag, jacket pocket, shirt, hidden from view on the city map. Variant 2: The perpetrator comes to a restaurant and spreads a city map / newspaper at the victim's table. He steals the cell phone underneath from the restaurant table, protected by the city map, and leaves the restaurant. Variant 3: A couple knocks from the outside on the window on the passenger side of a stopped car. They ask for a hospital or train station and hold out a city map. The handbag lying on the passenger seat is stolen under the protection of the city map.

Appeal to helpfulness

  • Currency exchange trick: the perpetrator asks to change a coin (e.g. for a phone call). Variant 1: When the victim opens the change compartment, the perpetrator throws in the coin, gestures and steals banknotes from the banknote compartment unnoticed. Variant 2: He steals the whole wallet. Variant 3: The stranger reaches into the wallet immediately without waiting. Variant 4: When changing money, the perpetrator "unintentionally" hits the victim's arm with his own wallet and steals the victim's golden bracelet.
  • Reading trick: the perpetrator asks the victim for help reading the timetable / the display board. Meanwhile, a second perpetrator steals the suitcase or bag.
  • Flower trick: The perpetrator forces a flower on his victim and indicates that he wants something in return. The victim searches in the change pocket, the perpetrator steals bills from the banknote compartment or valuables from the victim's clothing.
  • Supermarket trick: the perpetrator asks the victim in the supermarket for a specific product. The victim searches and shows, the perpetrator steals from the victim's bag in the shopping cart.
  • Knocking trick: a perpetrator enters a train compartment and looks for a victim. Another perpetrator knocks on the outside of the window. The perpetrator in the car steals valuables from the distracted victim.

Pretended helpfulness

  • Alleged bag carrier: The perpetrator offers to carry a piece of luggage / a shopping bag and, in variant 1, steals valuables from the bag during transport. Or another perpetrator stands directly behind the distracted victim in variant 2 and steals the wallet. In variant 3 , with the simulated boarding aid, the perpetrator hurries ahead into the train compartment or creates an artificial traffic jam. Stealing the bag-carrying or following perpetrator.

Others

  • Schlitzer: The perpetrator slit open the pocket in the clothing in which the wallet is located and steals it.
  • Lifting trick: The perpetrator claims, preferably with women, to guess the weight of the victim by lifting it up. While being lifted, an accomplice steals from behind the victim.
  • Sleeping victims: In the S-Bahn, preferably in the early morning by lone perpetrators.

Prevention

Through prevention it is done pickpockets heavier. In the event of damage, the numbers of the identity card, driver's license, giro and credit card, SIM card number of the telephone card, IMEI number of the mobile phone must be documented. Bumping into your clothes, soiling your clothes and being overly helpful are warning signs:

  • Only take as much money with you as is currently needed.
  • If possible, keep cash, debit and credit cards and ID cards in different places on your body.
  • Carry money and valuables close to your body / close to your upper body.
  • Transport large amounts of money in a money belt , belt pouch or neck pouch .
  • Carry handbags and shoulder bags with the closure side or the outer compartment facing towards you. Carry the zip pockets so that the zip is facing forward. Carry it across the chest in front of the body or wedged under the arm.
  • Generally keep bags closed, do not leave them unattended and never carry them on your back.
  • Carry valuables, cell phones and digital cameras in lockable inner pockets.
  • Carry rucksacks in front of your body. Do not keep valuables in your backpack.
  • Have larger amounts of cash paid out at the bank in an adjoining room.
  • One to two meters distance zone to strangers, no body proximity.

Claim

Immediate action

If possible, hold the pickpocket as part of the arrest for everyone , inform the police via an emergency call and hand the pickpocket over to the police after they arrive. Requesting possible witnesses to remain so that they can testify to the police about their observations.

If the pickpocket was able to escape first: Make other people aware of the thief, ask other people to help, organize help. Start an immediate manhunt through the police emergency number 110. Taking care of the victim, memorizing the perpetrator characteristics, being available as a witness.

Mitigation

The incident must be reported personally to the police station. With the notification, a certificate of the stolen identification documents, e.g. B. Identity card and driver's license issued. The display can be edited more easily if paper copies of the lost documents already exist. To block bank cards in Germany, there is the general blocking emergency number 116 116. After the card has been blocked immediately by telephone, the bank must be visited personally. If the papers / cards are found again, the police station / bank must be informed personally. Newly requested identification papers / cards are not available immediately.

Criminal prosecution

Under criminal law, pickpocketing is regularly classified as theft (Section 242 StGB in Germany, Section 127 StGB in Austria).

If violence or threats of violence are used against the victim, robbery (Section 249 of the German Criminal Code) or predatory extortion (Section 255 of the German Criminal Code) are possible.

Artistic processing of the topic

Pickpocketing has been around for thousands of years, here is an illustration from the 16th century (The Misanthrope )
  • The picture The Juggler , created by the painter Hieronymus Bosch , shows a situation from the late Middle Ages that suggests a collaboration between two pickpockets: while a person is distracted by a pocket player, a man standing behind the victim is about to take his wallet .
  • In his novella Unexpected Acquaintance with a Craft, Stefan Zweig impressively describes the working methods of a pickpocket in the first half of the 20th century.
  • The German feature film Max, the Pickpocket from 1962 depicts the life of a pickpocket and his involvement in a larger crime with a "raised index finger" and yet in a comedic manner. (Director: Imo Moszkowicz ; with Heinz Rühmann , Elfie Pertramer , Hans Clarin , Ruth Stephan )
  • Robert Bresson's 1959 film Pickpocket depicts the life of a young man learning the art of pickpocketing. The pickpockets depicted in Pickpocket were choreographed by Kassagi - a Parisian pickpocket master who also starred in the film [1] .
  • Harry with the long fingers (original title Harry in Your Pocket ) is an American crook from 1973 with the famous actors James Coburn , Michael Sarrazin, Trish Van Devere and Michael C. Gwynne. Two successful “gentleman” pickpockets expand their “company” with a young couple who they introduce into the tricks of the pickpockets.
  • The French short film Le Mozart des pickpockets from 2006 tells the story of Philippe and Richard who steal their livelihoods in the Barbes district of Paris. When three of their accomplices are arrested after pickpocketing, a deaf and mute boy turns up and gives them a helping hand.
  • In 2008 Johnny To shot the poetic-nostalgic film “Sparrow” in Hong Kong, in which a carefree gang of pickpockets meets a mysterious woman who is pursuing her very own goals with them.
  • In the music video for Karma Chameleon by Culture Club a pickpocket occurs on a Mississippi paddle steamer, is thrown overboard discovery.
  • In Erich Kästner's children 's book The Little Man , the magician Jokus von Pokus is supported in stage pocket theft (see below) by his only five centimeter tall adoptive son Mäxchen, who can climb into the victim's pockets in person.
  • In episode 68 of Police Call 110 The Ambush , the police are on the trail of pickpockets.

Stage pocket theft

Magicians occasionally present theft on stage for entertainment purposes. While criminal thieves take advantage of favorable situations or the element of surprise or even use force, a stage pocket thief must be able to perfectly distract his victim and master a variety of moves. Indeed, it is possible to steal watches, ties, and even suspenders unnoticed. The attraction of this art is that you can sometimes even watch the thief doing the normally secret work. The "game in someone else's pocket" is controversial because the artist literally "intervenes" in the viewer's privacy. A maximum of charm is therefore required in order to relativize this provocation and to avoid the feeling of being shown in the affected viewer. Some stage pocket thieves are so masterly in their field that the audience is fascinated by the fact that they are breaking taboos. Stage pocketing follows its own rules and can only be used to a limited extent as real pickpocketing.

Differentiation from trick theft

Related theft , which is also rated as "simple theft ", in which the perpetrator comes into contact with the victim, even unnoticed, and with the help of special skill, using a previously created relationship of trust or other trick in the possession of the Stolen goods arrived. It should be noted that the interpretation of the term “simple theft” differs in insurance law and criminal law .

See also

literature

Movies

Web links

Commons : Pickpocketing  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: pickpocketing  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Police crime statistics 2019 - time series overview of case tables. Federal Criminal Police Office, accessed on March 30, 2020 .
  2. ^ Thomas Öchsner: Tatort train station. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung of September 26, 2016, p. 1.
  3. ↑ The West December 17, 2009, Easy Prey for Pickpockets ; Retrieved April 24, 2012
  4. ↑ The so-called Klau-Kids of Cologne - and how they can really be helped ( Memento of the original dated December 2, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.kirche-koeln.de
  5. ^ André Zand-Vakili: The number of pickpockets is falling. In: Hamburger Abendblatt of July 13, 2016, p. 15.
  6. ↑ The rbb reporter: The big stealer - The mafia of pickpockets. Shown on RBB television on April 12, 2016 from 8:14 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  7. ↑ Police Hamburg: We inform: Beware of pickpockets. Leaflet, Hamburg, 02.2014.
  8. ↑ Andrea Steichele: crooks, thieves, tire stabbers. In: ADAC motorwelt 6/2017, p. 52.
  9. ^ Program for police crime prevention of the states and the federal government (ed.): Pickpocketing. Smarter against stealer! Flyer Stuttgart approx. 2017.
  10. ↑ Civil investigators arrest pickpockets. In: Hamburger Abendblatt of March 8, 2016, p. 11. Author abbreviation (dah).
  11. ↑ Thieves cause high damage in hospitals. In: Hamburger Abendblatt , February 8, 2019, p. 26. Source (dpa).
  12. ↑ Alexander Schuller: How to protect yourself against pickpockets. In: Hamburger Abendblatt, December 16, 2015, p. 14.
  13. ↑ Procedure explained by the police advice
  14. ^ Daniel Herder and Christoph Heinemann: The tricks of professional thieves. In: Hamburger Abendblatt, June 6, 2015, p. 10.
  15. ↑ Police North Rhine-Westphalia Cologne: Tips for protecting against trick thieves  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.koelntourismus.de  
  16. ↑ The police must release known trick thieves. In: Hamburger Abendblatt of October 22, 2015, p. 11. Author abbreviation: zv.
  17. ^ André Zand-Vakili: How to protect yourself from pickpockets. In: Hamburger Abendblatt , November 7, 2018, p. 16.
  18. ↑ The rbb reporter: The big stealer - The mafia of pickpockets. Shown on RBB television on April 12, 2016 from 8:14 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  19. ↑ Two pickpockets arrested in the airport. In: Hamburger Abendblatt, June 3, 2016, p. 13. Author abbreviation (cia).
  20. ^ Thomas Öchsner: Tatort train station. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung of September 26, 2016, p. 1.
  21. ↑ Donation fraudsters on the run. In: Hamburger Wochenblatt of December 29, 2015, p. 2. Author abbreviation (th).
  22. ↑ A supposedly deaf woman steals from 75-year-olds. In: Hamburger Abendblatt from March 7, 2016.
  23. ↑ Tricksters steal cell phones. In: Hamburger Wochenblatt, May 25, 2016, p. 2. Author abbreviation (th).
  24. ↑ Tricksters with a city map. In: Hamburger Wochenblatt, May 25, 2016, p. 2. Author abbreviation (th).
  25. ↑ Police convict men who want to steal from seniors. In: Hamburger Abendblatt, March 10, 2016, p. 14. Author abbreviation (ant)
  26. ↑ Brash pickpocket. In: Hamburger Wochenblatt of April 13, 2016, p. 2. Author abbreviation (th).
  27. ↑ Stolen bracelet. In: Hamburger Wochenblatt, May 25, 2016, p. 2. Author abbreviation (th).
  28. ^ Thomas Öchsner: Tatort train station. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung of September 26, 2016, p. 1.
  29. ↑ Federal police catch trick thieves. In: Hamburger Abendblatt, June 8, 2015, p. 7. Author abbreviation: dah.
  30. ^ Thomas Öchsner: Tatort train station. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung of September 26, 2016, p. 1.
  31. ^ André Zand-Vakili: The number of pickpockets is falling. In: Hamburger Abendblatt of July 13, 2016, p. 15.
  32. ↑ The IMEI number is displayed on the mobile phone using the key combination * # 06 #.
  33. ^ Daniel Herder and Christoph Heinemann: The tricks of professional thieves. In: Hamburger Abendblatt, June 6, 2015, p. 10.
  34. ↑ State Criminal Police Office Hamburg, Prevention and Victim Protection, Police Hamburg: We inform: Beware of pickpockets . Status 02/2014.
  35. ^ Program for police crime prevention of the federal states and the federal government (ed.): Schlauer gegen Klauer. Important tips against tricks from pickpockets . Leaflet, Stuttgart, approx. 2015.
  36. ^ Program for police crime prevention of the federal states and the federal government (ed.): Schlauer gegen Klauer. Important tips against tricks from pickpockets . Leaflet, Stuttgart, approx. 2015.
  37. ↑ State Criminal Police Office Hamburg, Police Crime Prevention, Police Hamburg: We inform. Tips to protect against pickpockets . As of 6. 2015.