Peter in Your Pocket

The ultimate art of stage pickpocketing

Peter in Your Pocket reveals the secrets of an art as rare as it is spectacular: stage pickpocketing.
In this work, Peter Heylands shares the expertise he has accumulated over more than thirty years of performances worldwide — on stage, aboard cruise ships, and at prestigious events. His approach combines psychology, advanced techniques, a sense of timing, humor, elegance, and a true sense of showmanship.

Written clearly, precisely, and generously, Peter weaves mechanics, psychology, and dramaturgy to deliver one of the most comprehensive works ever published on pickpocketing in magic.

A unique perspective on pickpocketing in magic

This book immerses you in the heart of a fascinating discipline: its origins, its evolution, and — above all — the deep reasons why it still works today.
Peter demonstrates how attention, distraction, human anticipation, and numerous psychological biases become powerful artistic tools in the hands of a magician.

You will also learn how to build an irresistible stage presence: choosing the right spectator, mastering your attitude, using music, lighting, and microphones to your advantage, and establishing a rhythm that makes every steal natural, invisible… and inevitable.

Mechanics & Techniques: a professional treasure

Peter goes far beyond teaching the techniques used by the greatest professionals — for the very first time, he reveals his own methods, jealously guarded and perfected over several decades.
Discover how to approach, engage, and execute with exceptional fluidity and confidence:

• watch steals (leather straps, metal, smartwatches…)
• inner and outer jacket pockets
• front and back trouser pockets
• steals of glasses, ties, belts, suspenders
• and a multitude of subtleties never explained elsewhere

Each explanation comes directly from his stage experience, with practical advice immediately applicable.

The kit of a stage pickpocket

Peter also reveals secrets that most artists keep to themselves:

• how to choose and manage volunteers on stage
• the crucial role of music, sound, and lighting
• how to adapt your act to close-up, stage, cruises, or television
• how attitude, style, and overall appearance influence the success of a steal

A true professional manual, where every stage detail matters.

A Complete Arsenal of Professional Acts

Far from being limited to a few effects, this book gathers a complete repertoire of stage pieces — all tested in front of thousands of spectators and refined over more than thirty years of professional career. Each routine is designed, structured, and polished to serve the character, strengthen the narrative, and maximize impact.

The Lucky Chip

A funny, interactive routine perfectly built around a signed casino chip.
Between humor, impossible choices, a ball of yarn, and multiple watch steals, the effect builds up to a brilliant theatrical crescendo.

Ring in Yarn of Wool 

Peter analyzes the classic version, points out its weaknesses (predictability, pacing), then proposes a modernized version based on psychology and surprise. His personal handling uses a signed token, enhancing the misdirection and breathing new life into the routine.

Illegal Business

A narrative reinvention of Easy Money, blending humor around “dirty money,” dramaturgical logic, and Robin Hood symbolism. The finale offers a powerful transformation, perfectly coherent with the character.

The Robbery Trick — a total reinvention

Peter presents a fully rethought version of this great classic — modern, coherent, theatrical, and truly astonishing. A routine that not only entertains but systematically deceives the audience.

Miser’s Dream — a totally new method

Peter offers a version of the Miser’s Dream that is:

• ideal for introducing pickpocketing in the first minutes of the show,
• based on a totally original method,
• supported by a fluid and brilliant stage structure

The Egg Bag — an explosive and unprecedented ending

Peter revisits the Egg Bag with a revolutionary idea: the appearance of the egg in the spectator’s pocket. The routine concludes with a multiple production of eggs from the assistant’s pockets, triggering a hilarious, surprising, and unforgettable finale.

The Underwear Gag

The appearance of underwear between two tied scarves is an old classic.
However, this traditional gag — often used by stage pickpockets — generally provokes a weak reaction, both from the assistant and the audience. It is obvious to the assistant that the underwear does not belong to them.

Peter’s method is brilliant: it guarantees a natural and spontaneous reaction from the assistant, generating authentic laughter and a much stronger comedic impact for the entire audience.

All these routines are genuine professional pieces, tested and perfected over thousands of public performances.

A book for artists who want to stand out

Peter in Your Pocket is aimed at magicians and performers who wish to:

• Give more character and impact to their magic
• Introduce elegant and surprising pickpocketing moments
• Understand spectator psychology and audience management
• Move from raw technique to living art
• Build a strong, funny, and memorable stage identity

Whether ambitious beginners or seasoned professionals, everyone will find a solid structure and a rare source of inspiration.

The entire Peter routine, in detail

For the very first time, Peter reveals his complete act, in every detail.
This treasure alone would already justify purchasing the book.

A Book for Artists Who Want to Stand Out

Peter in Your Pocket is aimed at magicians and performers who wish to:

• give more character and impact to their magic
• introduce elegant and surprising pickpocketing moments
• understand spectator psychology and audience management
• transform raw technique into true theatrical art
• build a strong, funny, and memorable stage identity

Whether you are an ambitious beginner or an experienced professional, you will find in these pages a solid structure and rare inspiration.

The 3 Monkeys Publishing Signature

We select works that leave a lasting mark on the magical art.
This one is:

• Technical without being dry
• Artistic without being abstract
• Historical without being dusty
• Deep, modern, and immediately applicable

An elegant, intelligent, essential work. The new standard for anyone wishing to master stage pickpocketing and elevate their magic.

Peter in Your Pocket doesn’t just teach you how to steal a watch. It teaches you how to steal attention, capture the imagination, and transform a simple gesture into a moment of pure magic — those suspended moments the audience never forgets.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR p.9

I – GETTING STARTED

Introduction by Carlos Vaquera – p.12

About the cover and title of the book – p.15

Why another book on pickpocketing? – p.19

George Barrington, the legendary pickpocket – p.21

Pickpocketing as entertainment, a brief history – p.25

Who can do a pickpocket act? – p.29

II – THE MECHANICS – WATCH STEALS

How to learn and practice a watch steal – p.53

Stealing a leather strap watch – p.55

Trouble watches – p.61

The Apple or Smart watch – p.67

Repetitive watch steals – p.71

The metal clasp watch – p.73

The expansion metal band – p.77

The Z fold band – p.79

III – THE MECHANICS – PICKING POCKETS

Picking pockets – p.85

The inside jacket or coat pockets – p.87

The drop steal – p.93

The back steal – p.99

The patchwork – p.101

The outside jacket or coat pockets – p.105

The outside breast or shirt pocket – p.109

The front pants or trousers pockets – p.111

The hip or back pockets – p.113

The pickpocket setup – p.117

IV – THE MECHANICS – MORE ACCESSORIES

Stealing a necktie – p.123

Stealing eyeglasses or reading glasses – p.133

Stealing suspenders or braces – p.135

Stealing a belt – p.137

V – THE MECHANICS – YOUR HELPERS

How to choose your helpers – p.145

The first secret to success – p.147

Choosing the wrong helper – p.149

Disarming your helper – p.153

Flashing the stolen goods or not? – p.155

Call backs – p.157

Your first performance – p.159

Getting caught – p.161

The helper who felt everything – p.163

VI – YOUR STAGE ACT

Creating your stage act – p.169

The opening, middle and end for a stage act – p.175

Writing your script – p.179

Creating a full show in character – p.181

Adapting magic to fit your character – p.185

My version of the trick – p.189

More examples of my bag of tricks – p.197

The egg bag – p.203

The robbery trick – p.231

Many ideas for my show came thanks to the audience – p.241

Other tricks used by pickpockets in the past – p.245

Too little to steal – p.251

The use of a confederate or stooge – p.257

Humor – p.265

The power of music – p.271

Stage lights – p.283

Performing at events – p.287

Performing pickpocketing in close-up or strolling – p.291

Performing on television – p.295

Lecturing for the law enforcement departments – p.299

Interviews – p.301

Languages as a weapon – p.303

Can pickpocketing be performed as a silent act? – p.305

Performing on cruise ships – p.307

Working for and with diverse cultures – p.321

VII – MY PICKPOCKET ACT EXPLAINED IN DETAIL

The challenge game – p.327

Techniques used for my routine – p.329

Preparing the act – p.331

My script and handlings – p.333

The complete pickpocket set up – p.335

Summary – p.347

VIII – TRIBUTE TO DOMINIQUE

Why this great homage? – p.355

The story – p.357

What I had witnessed – p.359

What did I learn? – p.365

His story begins – p.373

The great American adventure – p.377

A chronological list of Dominique’s main successes – p.385

IX – TO CONCLUDE

My final words – p.401

The bibliography – p.405

With a special thanks to… – p.411

• Expert analysis of real techniques, used under professional conditions on stage and on cruise ships
• Rich historical context, providing depth and perspective to the discipline
• Practical and immediately applicable advice, drawn from field experience
• Strong emphasis on showmanship and ethics, pillars of stage pickpocketing
• Original routines with high entertainment potential, built around psychology, misdirection, and humor
• Clear, structured, and mature writing, the result of several decades of experience

These assets make Peter in Your Pocket an essential work for anyone wishing to master this rare and spectacular art.