An ancient curse reserved for thieves who double-cross other thieves. Rumor has it that those marked with “The Blight” are doomed to die like miserable worms.
A famously difficult lock. Touching the mechanism instantly releases spikes from the surrounding wall, murdering the would-be thief. For this reason, the Bigelow Brank has been nicknamed the “you go first.”
A thief who enters a building by climbing into an upper story. Compare with “Worm Burglar” and “Smiling Burglar.”
Kidnapping, usually by stuffing a victim in some kind of sack.
The art of climbing completely slick vertical surfaces.
A noisy distraction designed to draw attention away from the crime scene.
A bolt that only moves by a key or knob, instead of spring action.
A gathering of thieves, very dangerous. A famous thieving proverb states that “There ain’t no refuge in a den of thieves.”
A tea made from an obscure root that leaves drinkers weak-minded and sleepy.
A thieving trick in which the criminal is able to wriggle free of ropes and fetters in his sleep. Rumored impossible.
A metal plate with a slot in it, used to slide over a padlock to secure doors.
Any kind of oil or grease used to lubricate one’s lock picking tools.
A hairpin, perfect for picking locks.
A lock-picking maneuver that requires three pins — one in each hand, and a third in the mouth.
A tavern, classroom, or similar plain-sight hiding place for criminals. The term originated with the thieving proverb: “Sometimes the safest flea is on the Mutt’s Noggin.”
Thieves slang for “stealing.”
A disguise. The best “patches” go beyond mere costuming and can change their voices and carriage to blend into any situation.
A list of questions meant to guide a thief who finds himself trapped or in danger: 1) Where am I? 2) Are there friends nearby? 3) Are there weapons nearby?
A decoy, meant to allow a thief to steal something without its loss being noticed. For example, a thief might replace a wallet with a piece of similarly-sized toast.
Rumor, hearsay.
Another word for cat burglar.
A thief who enters buildings through the front door. Compare with “Cat Burglar” and “Worm Burglar.”
A pick-pocket’s fingers.
A thief who enters buildings by burrowing through the ground below. Compare with “Cat Burglar” and “Smiling Burglar.”