Police are looking for the English-speaking magician who stole around Ft 1.5 million from three banks in western Hungary last Wednesday – without the cashier even noticing – reports an incredulous origo.hu. Erste Bank security staff only spotted the ruse after counting the money and playing back the video in very very slow motion, but by that time the pickpocket had long moved on to the next branch of the bank, this time in Sopron.
The details of the trick are a little confused, and London’s Magic Circle has so far refused to shed any light on the matter, but as far as origo can tell, the man entered the Erste Bank branch with a Ft 20,000 bill, which he wanted to change for two tens.
He took the money but then returned to complain that there was something wrong with the code number on the Ft 10,000 banknotes. The cashier then fanned out a wad of cash in front of him, which he fingered, without letting go of the money of course. After repeated viewing of the video, security staff discovered that he had diverted the money into his pocket using his little finger. But there’s more, he then changed his mind and demanded the very same Ft 20,000 banknote be given back to him, allowing him to repeat the trick, this time with crisp 20s. The raid in Csorna yielded an impressive Ft 480,000, while the man fingered almost double that in Sopron, but his magic show was considerably shorter in neighboring Kőszeg.
Reassuringly for retail banks in Hungary, police say they have “heard rumors” that the same man has “performed” in Keszthely and Zalaegerszeg. We know where we would start investigations.
