Don’t be fooled

A group of about 20 fascinated people gathered outside a furniture store on Church Square earlier this week.

They were being mesmerised by a young man adeptly moving three cards around on a cardboard box so fast that they couldn’t keep track. While holding cash in one hand he kept the audience’s interest by jabbering the patter of a practiced three-card monte player – or follow-the-lady, as it is sometimes called. This is an old game of chance that is really just a way of tricking people into parting with their money.

You have probably seen it often enough while walking through the streets of Grahamstown. The man has three cards – usually two black queens and one red. He slides them around face down on the cardboard box and when he stops, he asks members of the crowd to bet on which card they think is the red one. If no one takes a chance then a secret accomplice will bet and probably win showing how ‘easy’ it is to win.

Of course you never win. The conman makes sure that you always lose, especially after he has encouraged you to either double your money or quit. When he feels he has taken enough, another secret accomplice might whistle and say watch out! the police are coming. The conman and his accomplices then scamper off with the cash from their latest sucker.

This is illegal gambling.
However, it was also illegal the way several young boys dipped their hands into the pockets and bags of the people observing the game. They expertly waited until a person was so focused on the sleight of hand before they put their special skills into play. One of our reporters caught one of these pickpockets with his hand in her bag. She was fortunate in that she did not lose anything. The boy, well he did not run away. Why should he? He was already looking for the next victim keeping an eye on the ‘game’.

This illegal gambling and pickpocketing was taking place in broad daylight right before our eyes on Church Square. We phoned the police.