Pickpocketing Techniques

A magician and pickpocket, Ben Sidman, demonstrates various techniques for pickpocketing, breaking it down into nine levels of complexity.

Techniques Used

• Shade and misdirection to conceal the action
• Painting it red (making a stolen item more obvious to distract from the act)
• Fanning (overloading the target with sensations and thoughts to distract them)
• Using natural movements to conceal the action
• Tapping the poke (pressing the wallet up from the bottom of the pocket)
• Pants pocket steal (pinching the pocket to move the wallet up for a later steal)

Levels of Complexity

1. The table steal (using a clipboard as cover to pick a phone)
2. Outside breast pocket (hiding the motion of the steal using the mark’s kinetic energy)
3. The ID badge steal (stealing an ID badge while making eye contact and speaking)
4. Stealing items from jacket pockets while performing a magic trick
5. Stealing a watch from a participant without them noticing
6. Stealing a watch and replacing it with a different item
7. Stealing a wallet and eventually, the final level of stealing someone’s neck tie

Term	Definition	Example Usage
Shade and Misdirection	A technique used to conceal an action by using a visual obstruction or distraction.	Ben Sidman uses shade and misdirection to steal a phone from a table while using a clipboard as cover.
Painting it Red	A technique used to distract the target by making a stolen item more obvious.	Ben Sidman makes a stolen item more obvious to distract from the act of stealing another item.
Fanning	A technique used to overload the target with sensations and thoughts to distract them.	Ben Sidman uses fanning to distract the target while stealing an item from their pocket.
Tapping the Poke	A technique used to press the wallet up from the bottom of the pocket to prepare for a steal.	Ben Sidman taps the poke to prepare for stealing a wallet from a participant’s pocket.
Pants Pocket Steal	A technique used to pinch the pocket to move the wallet up for a later steal.	Ben Sidman uses the pants pocket steal to move a wallet up in preparation for a later steal.
Table Steal	A technique used to steal an item from a table using a clipboard as cover.	Ben Sidman uses the table steal to steal a phone from a table while using a clipboard as cover.
ID Badge Steal	A technique used to steal an ID badge while making eye contact and speaking.	Ben Sidman uses the ID badge steal to steal an ID badge from a participant while making eye contact and speaking.
Watch Steal	A technique used to steal a watch from a participant without them noticing.	Ben Sidman uses the watch steal to steal a watch from a participant without them noticing.
Neck Tie Steal	A technique used to steal a neck tie from a participant, considered the final level of complexity.	Ben Sidman uses the neck tie steal to steal a neck tie from a participant, demonstrating the final level of complexity.

Pickpocketing Techniques Vocabulary Quiz

Test your knowledge of the vocabulary used in pickpocketing techniques.

Question 1: What does “misdirection” mean in the context of pickpocketing?

A) To make the stolen item more obvious to distract from the act

B) To overload the target with sensations and thoughts to distract them

C) To conceal the action by diverting the target’s attention

D) To use natural movements to conceal the action

Question 2: What is “fanning” in pickpocketing?

A) Using natural movements to conceal the action

B) Overloading the target with sensations and thoughts to distract them

C) Making a stolen item more obvious to distract from the act

D) Pressing the wallet up from the bottom of the pocket

Question 3: What is “tapping the poke” in pickpocketing?

A) Pinching the pocket to move the wallet up for a later steal

B) Pressing the wallet up from the bottom of the pocket

C) Stealing an ID badge while making eye contact and speaking

D) Using a clipboard as cover to pick a phone

Question 4: What is “painting it red” in pickpocketing?

A) To conceal the action by diverting the target’s attention

B) To overload the target with sensations and thoughts to distract them

C) To make the stolen item more obvious to distract from the act

D) To use natural movements to conceal the action

Question 5: What is “kinetic energy” used for in pickpocketing?

A) To overload the target with sensations and thoughts to distract them

B) To conceal the action by diverting the target’s attention

C) To hide the motion of the steal using the target’s movement

D) To make the stolen item more obvious to distract from the act

Answer Key

1. C) To conceal the action by diverting the target’s attention

2. B) Overloading the target with sensations and thoughts to distract them

3. B) Pressing the wallet up from the bottom of the pocket

4. C) To make the stolen item more obvious to distract from the act

5. C) To hide the motion of the steal using the target’s movement

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Using the Present Perfect and Past Simple to Describe Completed Actions

The present perfect and past simple are used to describe completed actions. The present perfect is used to describe an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present, while the past simple is used to describe a completed action in the past with no connection to the present. In the given text, we can see examples of both tenses. For example, “Ben Sidman demonstrates various techniques for pickpocketing” is in the present simple, but if we were to say “Ben Sidman has demonstrated various techniques for pickpocketing,” it would be in the present perfect. This is because the action of demonstrating started in the past and has a connection to the present. On the other hand, “Ben Sidman broke it down into nine levels of complexity” would be in the past simple, as it is a completed action in the past with no connection to the present.

Quiz Time!

1. Which tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present?
   1. Past Simple
   2. Present Perfect
   3. Present Simple
   4. Past Perfect
2. Which of the following sentences is in the present perfect tense?
   4. Ben Sidman demonstrates various techniques for pickpocketing.
   5. Ben Sidman has demonstrated various techniques for pickpocketing.
   6. Ben Sidman broke it down into nine levels of complexity.
   7. Ben Sidman breaks it down into nine levels of complexity.
3. Which of the following sentences is in the past simple tense?
   4. Ben Sidman has demonstrated various techniques for pickpocketing.
   5. Ben Sidman demonstrates various techniques for pickpocketing.
   6. Ben Sidman broke it down into nine levels of complexity.
   7. Ben Sidman breaks it down into nine levels of complexity.
4. Which tense is used to describe a completed action in the past with no connection to the present?
   4. Present Perfect
   5. Past Perfect
   6. Past Simple
   7. Present Simple
5. Which of the following sentences shows a connection to the present?
   4. Ben Sidman broke it down into nine levels of complexity.
   5. Ben Sidman has broken it down into nine levels of complexity.
   6. Ben Sidman breaks it down into nine levels of complexity.
   7. Ben Sidman is breaking it down into nine levels of complexity.

Answer Key

1. 2. Present Perfect
2. 2. Ben Sidman has demonstrated various techniques for pickpocketing.
3. 3. Ben Sidman broke it down into nine levels of complexity.
4. 3. Past Simple
5. 2. Ben Sidman has broken it down into nine levels of complexity.