While talking to someone, this character will suddenly produce a small item. The other party slowly realizes that it's something ''he'' was carrying in his pocket just a moment ago, and quickly checks... but of course it's not there -- the thief has stolen it, unnoticed by the victim (and the audience).
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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]
* When trying to negotiate with Lucia in ''RaveMaster'', Shuda offers him the 'Vampire' Sinclaire stone in exchange for Haru's life. While Lucia considers the deal, Haru's gang demands to know when Shuda swiped the stone from them.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comics]]
* Happens all the time in the ''LuckyLuke'' album ''Fingers'' with the title character, a kleptomaniac illusionist. Fingers would randomly give back Luke his colt, a jailer his prison keys, or a judge his spouse's medallion, while talking to them. Toward the end, Lucky Luke return the compliment by [[GiveMeBackMyWallet giving back his wallet to Fingers]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* RoaldDahl's story "The Hitch-hiker" concerns the titular character, whom the driver discovers to be a fingersmith (a step above a pickpocket). Naturally, this trope occurs.
* In ''Raiders of {{Gor}}'', Bosk (a.k.a. Tarl) picks up a girl who was sentenced to slavery for thieving. She puts on a demonstration for him and his men like this.
* Kender from the ''{{Dragonlance}}'' books do this all the time. They don't quite understand why it ticks people off. 
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* {{Subverted}} in an episode of ''{{JAG}}''. Harm is talking to a guy who specializes in clandestine operations, and at some point, the guy holds up Harm's wallet, criticizing him for letting the guy steal it, pointing out that he could use the ID contained within to allow him access onto the base. Harm then tells him to [[GenreSavvy open the wallet]], revealing that the ID card holder inside contains only a note saying "Arrest Me".
* There's an episode of ''{{Bones}}'' which involves the investigation of a bunch of street performers. One interviewee does this several times throughout the conversation, much to Bones' amusement and Booth's annoyance.
* Parker from ''{{Leverage}}'' does this a lot; particularly notable is "The Twelve-Step Job", where she goes undercover in a rehab center, is prescribed antidepressants, and starts doing it ''unconsciously''.
** It's also how she met her master-thief mentor when she was 12.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* David Blaine, a street magician, does this by distracting the audience with a routine card trick, then drawing attention to their missing watch.
[[/folder]]

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30th Nov '10 8:25:32 AM PaulA

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A favorite trick of the PhantomThief, ImpossibleThief or an illusionist.

While talking to someone, they'll suddenly produce a small item. The other party slowly realizes that it's something ''they'' were carrying in the pocket just a moment ago, and quickly check... but of course it's not there -- the thief has stolen it, unnoticed by the victim (and the audience).

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!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Roald Dahl's story "The Hitch-hiker" concerns the titular character, whom the driver discovers to be a fingersmith (a step above a pickpocket). Naturally, this trope occurs.
* In ''Raiders of {{Gor}}'' Bosk (fka Tarl) picks up a girl who was sentenced to slavery for theiving, who puts on a demonstration for him and his men like this.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* {{Subverted}} in an episode of ''{{JAG}}''. Harm is talking to a guy who specializes in clandestine operations, and at some point, the guy holds up Harm's wallet, criticizing him for letting the guy steal it, pointing out that he could use the ID contained within to allow him access onto the base. Harm then tells him to [[GenreSavvy open the wallet]], revealing that the ID card holder inside contains only a note saying "Arrest Me".
* There's an episode of ''{{Bones}}'' which involves the investigation of a bunch of street performers, one person they interview does this several times throughout the conversation, much to Bones's amusement and Booth's annoyance.

[[AC:Other]]
* David Blaine, a street magician, does this by distracting the audience with a routine card trick, then drawing attention to their missing watch.
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