Anyone else watching How to be a Pickpocket on C4 ?

[Sparklingbrook]

They are showing everyone how to do it.

[Sparklingbrook]

Three fingers is too many, and use a coat as a shield.

[wintertimeisfun]

i've been aware of this problem for years and am thus very careful especially when i go to central london by tube. the geezer who supposedly 'used' to be a pick pocket seems proud of his 'skills', pisses me right off. people that have worked hard having their personal belongings stolen, really fucks me off

[Sparklingbrook]

A policeman nicking bags to teach the public a lesson. Fab.

[Sparklingbrook]

'Operation Tea Leaf'

Hi winter yres the ex pickpocket is smarmy and quite proud isn't he?

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

I've seen it before and I can't watch it, it makes me too angry. Are they still trying to make the shoplifters look like lovable rogues with keystone cop music in the background? I've spent too many years as shop manager being verbally and physically assaulted by shoplifters to find it amusing.

[Sparklingbrook]

Poor holidaymakers.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I was in Paris once and the woman standing next to me on the underground train was pockpocketed. She never realised and neither did I. First we knew was when two men who turned out to be undercover cops rugby tackled a teenage girl to the floor! She was very good at it.

[Sparklingbrook]

OOh 'the smudge trick'

[wintertimeisfun]

i was pick pocketed a couple of years ago. was in a cafe in a nice suburb's garden centre, bag next to me on a bench type chair. they must have seen me coming. i clocked them, there were three of them, they stood out as were different to the usual types that went there (oap's) and were behaving oddly but i didn't like to stare so forgot about them. they sat next to me on the bench at the next table. i had noticed they were behaving oddly as they didn't say a word to each other. turns out the cunt next to me deliberately put his raincoat over my bag to hid the fact that the fucker had his hand in my bag and took out my purse. what made it worse i had just taken out 200 quid so they did well out of me. i was more upset about the lovely pictures of my dd in my purse. always SERIOUSLY careful now and if i get a bad vibe about somone i won't care more about their feelings than mine ie by not moving my bag to the other side of me for fear of offending them as they would think i thought they couldn't be trusted, stupid tart that i am (still angry about it, i work hard to earn my money, what gives them the right to just take it)

[Sparklingbrook]

winter. Vile.

[NadiaWadia]

Watched this a few days ago. As you say, the people who do this seem to have absolutely no feelings of guilt or shame, and indeed seem quite proud of themselves. Like the 'Coco the Clown' guy in Brighton, who seemed quite chummy with the policeman who was keeping an eye on him.

So after the police have gone to a lot of trouble to catch them, what is the point of giving them pathetic sentences of (at most) a few weeks in prison, it has no deterrent effect at all.

OK, we don't want to become like the USA, where I believe they have the 'three strikes and you're out' system in many states, so that if you are convicted of any 3 offences you stay in jail. So In theory you could get life for stealing a loaf of bread, just like in 'Les Miserables'.

But I think we go too far in the other direction (too lenient) and the system obviously doesn't work.