Getting Started in Pickpocketing?

May 3, 2008
858
0
I've been performing magic for a few years now and pickpocketing has always really interested me. I've been meaning to get into it but I don't know where to learn other than YouTube videos which I try to avoid.

Well seeing all of Apollo's other videos got me reminded about this again so I figured i'd ask you guys for some help

So does anyone have any advice for me to get started in pickpocketing?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sep 2, 2007
47
0
Visalia, CA
I tried learning pickpocketing a long time ago (never got good at it) but I was really good at taking cellphones that were in front of people. Lets say the person would be sitting down on a table and have their wallet or cellphone there. I would be able to misdirect for second (usually by trying to find a card (by throwing it out the deck) yet I would usually throw it to far out causing me to lean over the table and get the object while tried horrible to pick up the signed card) from there I would just sleeve it and produce after a trick or two.

So my best advice off of this little story is learn misdirection, give meaning to the moment your going to steal someone. Ex: shaking their hand to steal a watch. Most importantly stay calm and don't act out of character especial during and after the steal. Make sure to practice in front of friends and family (don't want to get caught messing up:D)

If this ends up being an obsession for you, buy a manikin and dress them up and practice stealing from them.
 
Aug 10, 2008
2,023
2
33
In a rock concert
I've been performing magic for a few years now and pickpocketing has always really interested me. I've been meaning to get into it but I don't know where to learn other than YouTube videos which I try to avoid.

Well seeing all of Apollo's other videos got me reminded about this again so I figured i'd ask you guys for some help

So does anyone have any advice for me to get started in pickpocketing?

I thought you said in another thread that you were kinda young to perform and that you didnt performed that often and now you want to learn pickpocketing? you must to be kidding me, practicing magic in your home for years its not the same to performing magic for years.
 
May 3, 2008
858
0
I thought you said in another thread that you were kinda young to perform and that you didnt performed that often and now you want to learn pickpocketing? you must to be kidding me, practicing magic in your home for years its not the same to performing magic for years.

Wow. Thanks. I was asking for advice not to be bashed. You didn't contribute N ounce of advice. You just bashed me. What was the point of that?

And no I don't just practice magic in my home I do perform. I just only started performing for strangers recently. I used to be too nervous and would only perform for friends and family but I've developed enough confidence to perform for others. I just don't quite think I'm ready to perform on the street yet. I'm still getting there

And besides just because I haven't gone out and performed for multiple strangers on the street that doesn't mean I have to stop learning until I do. It seems like you're telling me to either go out and perform RIGHT NOW or just quit magic altogether.

Some actual advice would have been appreciated
 
Sep 2, 2007
1,229
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he's not saying perform now or quite, he's saying that pickpocketing is, first fo all, a different set of skills than magic, as well as pickpocketing IS harder.
 
May 3, 2008
858
0
he's not saying perform now or quite, he's saying that pickpocketing is, first fo all, a different set of skills than magic, as well as pickpocketing IS harder.
Well I understand that. It just kind of annoys me how I ask for advice in a thread and people just bash me for little details. I guess I understood his point though

so does anyone have any advice?
 
Aug 10, 2008
2,023
2
33
In a rock concert
It seems like you're telling me to either go out and perform RIGHT NOW or just quit magic altogether.

Some actual advice would have been appreciated

I actually gave you advice. Magic is supposed to be performed for others, I mean, I have seen some of your home videos and it looks like you already have a TON of stuff practiced, if you just started performing for strangers, then, how do you plan to give every effect in your repertoire the attention and the focus it needs? if you keep just learning and learning stuff, it will take you nowhere, take the effects you have and perform them, and when you have them down and can perform them nicely for either 5 people or 50, then you are ready to learn something different.

Besides, pickpocketing is not as easy as you think, its not like you see the dvd and can actually do it, you need to practice it and you need a lot of guts to perform it and confidence in yourself to do it, if you haven't performed that much then in my opinion you are not ready for pickpocketing.

If you wanna gain the guts to pull stuff like that, I suggest that you perform tricks that actually take some good amounts of misidrection and skill, why not perform some tricks using palms? when you can succesfully pull off some effects using the palm then you will kinda feel what pickpocketing feels like.
 
May 3, 2008
858
0
Thank you for that advice. I realize pickpocketing is challenging and I am willing to commit to it. And I actually am planning on performing this summer however I am on vacation at the moment
 

Justin.Morris

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2007
2,793
888
Canada
www.morrismagic.ca
I would try learning a good watch steal. It takes some guts. Pickpocketing requires you to be in the spectators space. Gregory Wilson's DVD On the Spot might be a good place to start. He teaches a watch steal, and in the other killer material, there are some effects that require you to get in the spectators space. Good practice.
 
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