Pickpocketing is a crime, a form of larceny which involves the stealing of money and valuables from the person of a victim without their noticing the theft at the time.
Pickpockets and other thieves, especially those working in teams, sometimes apply distraction, such as asking a question, bumping into the victim, or deliberately dirtying the victim's clothing and then "helping" him/her to clean it.
Pickpocketing skills are also used by magicians, either to take an item from a spectator or to return it without their knowledge.