For what it is worth, this thread has reminded me of a little story. My beautiful pick-pocket Gypsy girl of Rome.
On a wonderful fall day, another couple and my companion & myself were touring the eternal city. The others had gone ahead, and a girl of about 18 (very skinny, very beautiful, the actual picture of Esmerelda from Victor Hugo) and three little syblings came up.
She had some kind of cardboard sign which I could not read. She kept holding it up closer and closer to my eyes - and then I noticed that she was kind of feeling me up. All over my body, so to speak. She was having trouble finding my wallet, as I had it in the right breast pocket of my sports jacket.
When she got JUST that close, I captured her tiny hand by the bird-like wrist. I held on only long enough to make her drop the cardboard sign and look me in the eyes. The fear was palpable. Her little sisters were of course gone like cockroaches when you turn on the lights in the slum kitchen.
I am sure that she was glad to have her freedom back...I was certainly glad to have kept possesion of my billfold and passport.
For sure - she is probably still picking pockets for a living - but, hopefully, she will be a little more careful with tall blonde guys wearing cowboy boots.