the.com/pickpocket
A magician who makes your wallet vanish without the applause.
means A thief who steals money or valuables from a victim's pockets or bag, usually in a crowd and without the victim noticing.
from A plain compound, exactly what it says: 'pick' (to pluck or pilfer) plus 'pocket,' dating to the 1500s. Earlier English used the verb 'to pick' on its own for theft — to 'pick a purse' — and as fashion put pockets into garments, the older 'cutpurse' (who literally sliced the strings of a hanging purse) gave way to the more nimble 'pickpocket.'
prime turfCrowds, gestures, and the moment you check for them
sign warningBeware of Pickpockets makes people pat their wallets, helping thieves
royal conEighteenth-century London thieves trained kids in schools
misdirection kingA bump or spilled drink hides the real grab
science classStudied by neuroscientists for hacking human attention