The two interviewees wished, for obvious reasons, to remain anonymous. They both earned their living from crime, more specifically robbery with violence (migging), accosting up to eight victimes in any one night.
J and P both began their ciminal careers at the age of 13. They are now 17, and at the time of this interview serving four years for robbery with violence. Both are six foot two tall with slim to medium build.
I: J & P: Why do you commit these offences?
J: For money, and the buzz.
P: It's a good laugh.
I: What time do you instigate your attacks?
J & P: At night.
I: Why not in the day?
J: Too many people about. Too easy to get caught.
I: How do you choose your victims?
J & P: Student types, men carrying umberllas or wearing glasses, usually aged between twenty and thirty, occasionally older. We also look for people who are well dressed, smart clothes means money.
I: Why those particular types of people?
P: Because they always have money, or cards, and they don't give you any hassle.
I: What happens after you have chosen a victim?
P: We follow them, cross the road, walk past them maybe two or three times. Some of them must be thick not to notice what's going on.
I: What is your next move?
J & P: We wait for them to walk into a side street or walk into a park, anywhere quiet. We walk up to them and ask the time, this distracts them while we pull out our knives. When they look up we say, "Give us your .... money!" They usually look blank. Both of us shout at them, "Get your ....wallet out", and put the knives closer to their face.
I: Then what?
P: They get their money out and offer you some, but I snatch the lot.
I: What if they have no money?
J & P: We take their jewellery.
I: What if they have no jewellery either?
J & P: We laugh and say "See you later", then run off.
I: What do you do with the money, credit cards and jewellery?
P: I spend the cash on drink, sell the cards for fifty pounds each and the jewellery, unless it's something I like, then I keep it.
I: So you have a drink in between muggings?
P: Yeah!
I: Is there anybody that you would not mug?
J & P: Old women, kids.
I: What do you mean, kids?
J: Under twelves.
I: Anybody else?
J & P: We don't like doing drunks.
I: Why, I thought drunks would be easy targets?
J & P: They are, but a lot of them don't take you seriously, they could fall on the knife or something and that could mean a twenty-five stretch (twenty five years in prison).
I: What would cause you to stop an attack once you've started?
P: If they scream or if they f... about.
I: What do you mean, 'f... about'?
J: Start giving you hassle, like pretending to look for their money, taking their time, arguing. There was this old geezer who we were just about to do, when he turned into his drive. We stopped him and told him to give us his money, but he just kept on walking to his door. We thought he was deaf, but when we got to his door he turned round and told us to "f... off". That really blew me, man.
I: Does the size of the victim matter?
J & P: No
I: What would put you off?
P: Build, somone who's stocky or if they look mean, the sound of their voice. If they look wary we don't bother either.
I: What do you mean, wary?
P: You know, if they look like they know what we're gonna do.
I: What do you mean when you say "the sound of their voice"?
J & P: When you ask them the time, if they sound tough.
I: Explain that more.
P: Well, if when you get close to them they look a bit tough, when you ask them the time if they answer with a rough voice, then we just walk off.
I: How do you feel when you are looking for a victim?
J & P: Nervous, high, on a buzz.
I: How do you feel when you'e mugging someone?
P: Calm.
J: I'm just laughing to myself.
P: I'm in control, I'm looking around to make sure no one's coming and thinking of getting away.
I: How do you feel after?
P: A great buzz, the more daring it is the more buzz I get. I get round the corner and collapse with laughter. My hands are shaking and my knees are weak, I have to sit down. Then we go and buy some drink.
I: How many people do you mug in one night?
J & P: We have done eight, but most times about six. If we get a lot of money the first or second time we get too drunk to do any more.
I: How much cash do you get on one night?
P: The most is about eighty pounds, but usually less.
I: Can you give me a typical example of one of your attacks?
P: There was this geezer and his missus, outside a telephone box. Their car had the bonnet up, the woman went into the phone box. We walked up to the phone box and pretended to queue for the phone. The geezer looked like he had money, good clothes, smart car. I gave J. the signal by winking at him, I then asked the geezer the time and we both pulled out our knives. When he looked up we told him to hand over his wallet. He said, "Do you know who I am?", I said, "I don't care who you are". He said, "Do you know who she's on the phone to?", indicating to his wife in the phone box. "The police".
This was taking too long I thought to myself. I said, "I'm going to give you to the count of three, or else", and pushed the knife closer to this throat. He handed over his wallet and we ran off. All the time this was happening the woman on the phone didn't realise what was going on.
I: What would you have done if he hadn't handed over his wallet?
J & P: Run.
I: Have you any mates that do the same sort of things as you?
P: Most of our mates are into mugging and crime.
I: Do they operate the same system?
J & P: Sort of.
I: What do you mean?
J & P: Well, we all learn off each other, some use bats, iron bars or pretend guns, others use knives like us.
I: Do all of your mates run off if they come up against problems or complications?
P: Yeah. You can't afford to be caught mugging. Look what happened to us: four years each.
Source: Geoff Thompson, "Dead or Alive"
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