Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person or a victim's pocket without them noticing the theft at the time. It may involve considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection. A thief who works in this manner is known as a pickpocket.
Pickpocketing
"Dandy PickPockets Diving: Scene Near St. James Palace" (1818) by I. R. Cruikshank
Two pickpockets attempting to rob a Japanese tourist couple in Colmar, France. The tourists were alerted before the theft could be completed.
18th-century engraving showing pickpocket George Barrington being apprehended in action
Larceny is a crime involving the unlawful taking or theft of the personal property of another person or business. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of England into their own law, where in many cases it remains in force.
Chart indicating the distribution of forms of larceny in the United States, according to the 2004 Uniform Crime Report.