You've got to pick a pocket or two..

That's not my opinion, of course... although I'm sure we've all stolen one thing or another in our time, I wonder how many people have 'borrowed' an item and 'forgotten' to give it back? Most of us don't make a habit of stealing, and if we do steal its usually pretty minor - a pen from work or taking extra breaks..

There are some, however, who make the 'art' of stealing a profession. Pickpockets, such as those in Oliver!, are really quite clever with their distraction techniques, and are very common. Then you have the petty thieves, stealing from supermarkets or breaking into homes. One of the most sophisticated forms of theft is that of a con artist, who manage to scam or hustle others. Often well planned and drawn out, these people manage to con large amounts of money from people without them even realising.

Then there are the people who just can't help it. Kleptomaniacs are those who have overwhelming urges to steal things, often small or worthless, and hoard them. Some of them do not even realise what they are doing. I wonder if anyone has successfully used this as an excuse?