Hi Bernard
If you want to know and read about the gangs of tested years and the original peakie take a peek at this book
Its called Birmingham. ,the sinister side by Steve Jones its a wicked publication to read and it as a gang of peakies in it living in a big court
In clyde Aston that's for starters and if you read it in bed you will not sleep because page after page it gets you
Page after page crime after crime from the Victorian and the edwardian times
They are closely pages with pictures of all the villains and there crimes of thefts and murders and the story lines to go with them
And it involved the police enrolments problems starting from 1883 and there rules the police had to abide bye
It really is a tremous book to buy it also gives you the mug shots of prisoners of Winston green prison of that years of queen Victorian
Best wishes astonian,,,,,