July 4, 1914: Gang of Pickpockets Thwarted But Released Before Arrest

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA.

July 4, 1914: We have made it easy for a gang of pickpockets to get away with over $500, several watches and pieces of jewelry on this holiday celebration. There were nine known victims, whose empty purses were found tossed away.

The problem was that several men caught the robbers in action, got their possessions back, and let the miscreants go without reporting the incident to local officials. A county detective was in town but he was not informed of any of these thefts. Harvey Reichart caught a fellow by the throat who had lifted his pocketbook, but when the man returned it, Harvey let him go. Charles Grofe hit a man whose hand was in in his pocket, struck him in the face and knocked his hat off. Grofe got the hat, but the thief got away.

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