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Adam Green: The Spectacular Thefts of Apollo Robbins, Pickpocket

Adam Green: The Spectacular Thefts of Apollo Robbins, Pickpocket
A few years ago, at a Las Vegas convention for magicians, Penn Jillette, of the act Penn and Teller, was introduced to a soft-spoken young man named Apollo Robbins, who has a reputation as a pickpocket of almost supernatural ability. Jillette, who ranks pickpockets, he says, “a few notches below hypnotists on the show-biz totem pole,” was holding court at a table of colleagues, and he asked Robbins for a demonstration, ready to be unimpressed. Robbins demurred, claiming that he felt uncomfortable working in front of other magicians. He pointed out that, since Jillette was wearing only shorts and a sports shirt, he wouldn’t have much to work with. “Come on,” Jillette said. Again, Robbins begged off, but he offered to do a trick instead. “Fuck. Robbins held up a thin, cylindrical object: the cartridge from Jillette’s pen. Robbins, who is thirty-eight and lives in Las Vegas, is a peculiar variety-arts hybrid, known in the trade as a theatrical pickpocket. “What do you do?” “That’s right.”

Police Dog Basic Training" All police dogs must first become experts at basic obedience training. They must obey the commands of their handler without hesitation. This is what keeps the inherent aggression of the dog in check, and allows the officer to control how much force the dog is using against a suspect. Dogs from Europe are often given commands in their native language (Breston's commands are all in Dutch). Many people think this is so no one besides the handler can accidentally give them an "attack" command in English. This is a myth. A police dog must also make it through endurance and agility training. Finally, each dog receives specialty training. In the next section, you'll learn about the specialty training that produces a dog able to locate illegal drugs.

Collinsville mayor on sagging pants vote: ‘I’m sorry that that passed’ : Sj Collinsville has become the first Metro East community to ban "sagging pants," following a City Council vote Monday. The new law requires pants to be "secured at the waist to prevent the pants from falling more than 3 inches below the hips ... causing exposure to the person or the person's undergarments," according to a copy of the ordinance. It would only apply to pants worn on public property. Violators will be fined $100 and be required to perform community service for the first offense and $300 and community service for subsequent offenses. Mayor John Miller and council member Nancy Moss voted against the measure; members Liz Dalton, who initiated the ordinance, and Jeff Kypta voted to approve it. "I've had several phone calls and emails and 75 percent of the people were for it," Tognarelli said, calling the fashion fad "gang-related." However, Moss said that sagging was a non-issue before Dalton brought it up last month. Miller disagreed.

Collinsville Illinois Bans Baggy Pants, Mayor 'Very Disappointed' Despite the fact that laws banning baggy pants have been ruled unconstitutional by judges across the country, Collinsville, Illinois is the latest town to ban sagging trousers--and their mayor is not happy about it. City council members in Collinsville, which is located about 20 miles east of St. Louis, Mo., told Fox 2 St. Louis that they proposed the ordinance because residents said they were tired of "looking at people's underwear." Though Mayor John Miller and several other council members opposed the ban, it ultimately passed. STLToday.com explained what the new law will mean for "offenders" in Collinsville: The new law requires pants to be "secured at the waist to prevent the pants from falling more than 3 inches below the hips ... causing exposure to the person or the person's undergarments," according to a copy of the ordinance. In 2008, a 17-year-old reportedly spent a night in jail for wearing baggy pants in Riviera Beach, Florida. WATCH Fox 2 St.

World's dumbest criminals: Mirror.co.uk's Top 10 Stupid thief Aaron Evans is not the first dozy criminal in need of a few more brain cells. Stupid thief Aaron Evans is not the first dozy criminal in need of a few more brain cells. Here Mirror.co.uk takes a look around the globe at some of the world's dumbest criminals and brings you our favourite Top 10. 1: A stupid armed robber held up a petrol station in Vancouver and then returned to ask the cashier for directions. 2: Dozy Californian thief Claud Gipson-Reynolds stole a fire engine and then radioed for help when it got stuck in the mud. 3: Brainless burglar John Pearce was left dangling upside down from the window of a house he was breaking into for an hour after getting his foot stuck. 4: A not so clever thief obviously didn't consider how easy it would be to spot him when he stole the prototype of a unique high-performance sports car worth £2m. 5: Dim-wit joyriders smiled for a speed camera as they raced past in a car they had just pinched.

Foma Party: Ferdinand Waldo Demara Ferdinand Waldo Demara was born in Lawrence, Massachusets in 1921 and from a young age was determined to dedicate his life to the Catholic Church.He joined a Trappist monastery at the age of 14 having impressed the monks with his determination to adopt their way of life despite the demands that would be placed upon him.His parents believed that the rigorous burden of this lifestyle, with a spartan diet and a vow of silence, would drive him back home in no time but Demara managed to stay for two years and actually earned a place at the monastery as Frater Mary Jerome.However, shortly after this Demara was asked to leave the order. His failure to be able to adhere completely to the vow of silence had made his continued stay at the monastery impossible.Demara was devastated and determined to prove the monks wrong.He took jobs within various Catholic organisations but each time found himself falling out with the people in charge and moving on.

Headlines Tabloid Vocabulary There are two types of newspaper - broadsheets and tabloids. Broadsheets are the newspapers with large pages, and usually have fewer photos, and contain articles which are more in-depth and serious. Tabloids have smaller pages, and make all news as eye-catching as possible. Recently, most broadsheets, which were losing out to the tabloids, made their pages smaller mainly so that commuters could read them easily while sitting - or standing - on crowded public transport. Non-native speakers of English often have great difficulty in understanding newspaper headlines and vocabulary. The words tabloids use are shorter and snappier, catch the eye, use up less space, are more emotive - and help sell newspapers!

Pensioner prevented jewellery raid 'through misunderstanding' | UK news A pensioner who broke up a jewellery heist by running towards the scene and attacking the robbers with her shopping bag has explained how it had all come about through a misunderstanding. Ann Timson, a retired market trader in her 70s, said in a statement issued through police that her "mother's instinct" had kicked in because she thought the disturbance was being caused by a boy being beaten up. The extraordinary scene that ensued outside Michael Jones's jewellers in Northampton on Monday morning was captured by a cameraman who happened to be filming a documentary on the NHS. The footage showed the gang attacking the jewellers, only to be foiled when Timson intervened. It looked too good to be true but it wasn't. "I'd been shopping in the town and was on my way down Gold Street when I met a friend and stopped to have a chat," said Timson. "I became aware of a loud revving noise at the top of the street. "Only then did I realise that they were smashing glass and that it was a raid.

Michael Sharpe caught by second crime after heroics of supergran Ann Timson By Richard Hartley-parkinson Published: 12:40 GMT, 10 May 2012 | Updated: 12:48 GMT, 10 May 2012 An armed robber who was caught after 'Supergran' Ann Timson hit him with her handbag has been sentenced for a further three-and-a-half years after DNA evidence linked him to a previously unsolved £300,000 raid. Michael Sharpe, 40, was jailed for six-and-a-half years last May after he raided a jewellers in Northampton on February 7 last year. Extraordinary footage showed red-coated Ann, then aged 71, running down the street before lashing out at the fleeing gang with her black shoulder bag. Fresh forensic evidence discovered at the scene has helped police link Sharpe to a previously unsolved raid at Selfridges in London five and a half years go. The heroics of Ms Timson, left, led to the capture of Michael Sharpe, right, who has been jailed for another raid One of the gang members in the Northampton jewellery raid is arrested by police after Ms Timson's heroics

'Supergran' Ann Timson who repeatedly swung her handbag at armed raiders is honoured Posthumous bravery award for Pc Bill Barker who was swept to his death in the Cumbrian floodsLt Cmndr Ian Molyneux receives posthumous George Medal for tackling gunman on HMS Astute By Emily Allen Published: 16:05 GMT, 23 March 2012 | Updated: 11:15 GMT, 24 March 2012 'Supergran' Ann Timson foiled a raid on a jewellery store by lashing out at armed raiders using only her handbag 'Supergran' Ann Timson, who foiled a raid on a jewellery store by lashing out at armed raiders using only her handbag, has been honoured. Then aged 71, the pensioner was shopping in Northampton when she noticed a commotion coming from the direction of Michael Jones Jewellers. She spotted three mopeds parked nearby with riders on board, while three other people wearing crash helmets and armed with lump hammers were smashing the store’s windows. Undeterred, Mrs Timson ran towards the mob and began swinging her handbag at one of the riders, who made off. The man was detained until police arrived and took him into custody.

Goldfish seller Joan Higgins gets used to life as a tagged 'criminal' By Jaya Narain Updated: 07:12 GMT, 1 April 2010 They're normally worn by a serial thief or burglar. But this electronic tag has been fitted on a great grandmother who was hauled before the courts for selling a goldfish to a boy of 14. Pet shop owner, Joan Higgins, 66, was fined £1,000, put under curfew and warned she could face a year in prison. She was caught in an undercover sting when the local council sent a schoolboy into her shop to buy a £1.50 goldfish. Marked woman: Pet shop owner Joan Higgins yesterday, with the tag on her ankle. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is illegal to sell pets - including goldfish - to children under the age of 16 unless they are accompanied by an adult. But instead of being warned or slapped on the wrist, Mrs Higgins - a pet shop owner for 28 years - was dragged before magistrates. She was fitted with the electronic tag on Tuesday night and was yesterday trying to get used to the device which will be strapped to her left ankle for almost two months.

Aaron Deveau gets a year in prison after killing Daniel Bowley in crash while texting and driving Aaron Deveau, 18, will serve a year in prison after the fatal smash in Haverhill Massachusetts last year By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 20:26 GMT, 6 June 2012 | Updated: 20:35 GMT, 6 June 2012 A teenager who killed a father-of-three after causing a crash while texting and driving was found guilty today and sentenced to a year in prison. Aaron Deveau, who was 17 at the time of the collision, was given the maximum sentences for motor vehicle homicide and causing serious injury while texting after he drifted across the central line and hit the other driver's car head-on last year on February 20. Daniel Bowley Jr, 55, suffered serious injuries in the crash in Haverhill, Massachusetts before dying in hospital 18 days later. Scroll down for video Deterrent: Aaron Deveau, 18, (pictured left) will serve one year in prison after he caused a fatal crash while texting and driving which killed father of three Daniel Bowley (right)

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