Pickpocketing

Pickpocketing is a crime that is a form of larceny which involves the stealing of money and valuables off the person of a victim without them noticing. Generally a pickpocketer is a poor person who is in desperate need of money.

The crime requires considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection

The crime used to be punished by death, but the public hangings were considered prime targets for pickpockets.

Famous fictional pickpockets include The Artful Dodger and Fagin.

It is also a skill used by magicians, where an item is taken from a person without their knowledge or returned to them without their knowledge.