On June 25, 1952, the self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Pickpocket" Dr. John Giovanni attempted to lift the suspenders off Vancouver Police Chief Walter Mulligan. However, Mulligan had been forewarned and wore his oldest pair, which snapped during the attempt.
A Pickpocket with a Colorful Past
Giovanni claimed to have pickpocketed Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and FBI chief Herbert Hoover. He also boasted of being a brain surgeon and trapeze artist. Despite these dubious claims, he gained fame on shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Jack Benny Show.
The Vancouver Visit
Giovanni came to Vancouver to perform at Burnaby's Diamond Jubilee Show. He visited The Vancouver Sun newsroom, where he snatched the braces (suspenders) from city editor Ron Rose and picked the pockets of several staff members. At the police station, he slipped Assistant Chief Harry Whalen's watch off his arm before failing with Mulligan's suspenders.
Mulligan's Downfall
Walter Mulligan was later revealed to be a corrupt police chief. A 1955 inquiry found he had taken bribes from gamblers for years. He was fired but never charged, and subsequently moved to California.
Giovanni's Techniques and Later Life
Giovanni attributed his skills to training his physical reactions to be faster than normal. He once removed a wallet and cigarettes from a Sun reporter without detection. In a 1957 Los Angeles court case, his ex-wife Maria sued for $13,000 in unpaid alimony. Giovanni's real name was revealed as Adolf Herczog, born in Budapest. He had married Maria in 1928, separated in 1936, and divorced in 1945 after moving to Las Vegas.
