Murders > Life and adventures of that notorious robber and murderer, Richard Turpin

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the expedient of robbing the smugglers he
might meet on the road, taking care not to
attaek a gang, but only a solitary traveller,
as chance might throw such in his way ; and
even then his robbery was effected with a
show of justice, as he represented himself to
be deputed by the customs, and seized the
property in the king’s name.
Thrown out of this kind of business, he
formed one of a gang of deer-stealers, the
principal part of whose depredations were
committed on Epping Foresf and the parks
in its neighbourhood; but this business not
succeeding to the expectations of the robbers,
they determined to commence housebreakers.
Their plan was to fix on houses which they
presumed contained any valuable property ;
and while one of them knocked at the door,
the others were to rush in, and seize what¬
ever they might deem worthy of their notice.
The first attack of this .dnd was at the house
of Mr. Strype, an old man, who kept a chand¬
ler’s shop at Watford', whom they robbed of
all the money and other valuables in his pos¬
session, buf without offering the inmates
any personal abuse.
In one night this gang robbed Chinkford
and Barking churches of all the moveables
left in the vestries; but the plate at both
p! bees'be frig in the hands of the respective
churchwardens, they got an indifferent
booty. Turpin and some ofhis companions
chided the search that was made after them :
three of the gang, however, were taken, one
of whom turned evidence. the other two
we*e transported.