Panama Cannons: gangsters gone good, part 3 of 6

Bob interviews Angel amid the ruins of an unused schoolyard.
Bob interviews Angel amid the ruins of an unused schoolyard.

Panama City, Panama—As Bob and Angel spoke, a tall, handsome boy appeared dribbling a basketball. Soon he was part of our interview. His name was Jaime. He and Angel grew up together, were gangsters and pickpockets together, and were now together in the rehabilitation program.

As pickpockets, Angel and Jaime worked on buses as people got on and off them, at sports events, and at rock concerts.

Jaime, left, is bright and engaging, with the magnetic personality and intense eyes that Angel lacks.
Jaime, left, is bright and engaging, with the magnetic personality and intense eyes that Angel lacks.

Jaime took a crisp, clean Manila folder from under his arm, which he had brought along specifically to demonstrate how he used it—or something—to shield his handiwork. I was impressed that he had thought to bring a prop. Bob now addressed his questions to Jaime, whose alert demeanor was a welcome improvement over Angel’s empty, shifty eyes. Jaime was engaging, eager to answer, intelligent.

Jaime and Angel demonstrate their classic drop-stall-bump-steal method.
Jaime and Angel demonstrate their classic drop-stall-bump-steal method.

Their best method was the classic “sandwich,” in which one of them would drop keys or coins in front of a mark while the other nabbed his wallet from behind. They demonstrated using Bob as the victim. Then Jaime showed a close-up of his extraction technique. He gripped just a corner of the wallet and sort of zigzagged it up and out of the pocket. He smiled brightly, and I thought he’d make an excellent tour guide some day. Angel, if he’s lucky, might be suitable as a fry cook, or maybe a bell boy.

Buses in Panama are privately owned and serious works of art.
Buses in Panama are privately owned and serious works of art.

This is part 3 of 6. ——    Next. ——  Part 1

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4 Comments

  1. […] Panamanian underworld. Angel, the pickpocket from Panama City, looks sweet but clueless. His pal Jaime has intelligent eyes in a handsome face. Both Dajanel and Jael, violent muggers in Colon, have […]

  2. Need a bag girl to go with you as you travel? I’m ready to retire.
    YELS

  3. Hey everyone!! i have just returned from russia. i did not get pickpocketed but i suspect i had my credit card cloned!.

    bambi great posts on panama. I thought you were being brazen with the russians!. Im thinking of starting up my own travel blog any ideas?

  4. Fabulous art work on the bus.


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