Sounds to me the Distraction was part of the Grift

[jeff of pa]

The owner of a coin shop in downtown Hutchinson told police Saturday that a young boy, perhaps about 8 years old, may have stolen an 1863 Copperhead Indianhead penny worth about $50.

The shopkeeper said the boy was accompanied by a girl, about 5 years old. They came into his shop with several coins and asked what they were worth. They then saw the penny and asked what it was worth.

The shopkeeper told them, but was then interrupted by another customer coming in. When he looked again, the penny was gone and children had left.

http://www.hutchinsonleader.com/young-coin-thief-sought-112

 

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[ivan salis]

team robbery action --- the kids go in and ask for a coin -- the adult that later comes in is one of the parent of the kids most likely * mommy -- when the coin dealer goes to the adult (parent) customer the kids snag the coin and leave going outside and down the block a bit where daddy picks em up in the car and drives them away a bit-- if the coin dealer catches them in the store the adult (mommy or daddy) goes -- lil johnny and suzie shame on you give that man back his coin -- then they say --I'm awful sorry-- I'll punish them at home and takes the kids and splits -- even if the cops come along quickly so long as the kids were still in the store * they will just say we were taking it over to mommy / daddy to ask her/ him buy it for us --- a lot of coin stores now have buzzers on the door to stop such trickery -- you gotta be buzzed in and also buzzed out as well.