You might like to read Adam Shand's "King of Thieves. The Adventures of Arthur Delaney & the Kangaroo Gang" Allen & Unwin 2010 ISBN 978 1 74237 147 4.

The Kangaroo Gang were Australian master shoplifters who targeted high-end jewellers, furriers, perfumers - shops where the haul could be in the millions in 1960s money. They were at large in the late 50s until the early 70s. They mostly operated in Britain but made raids into France, Belgium, Italy and possibly other places (a lot about them is unknown), but never in Australia. They never used violence or weapons. None were ever caught.

Forget your stereotypical Aussie - these were university educated, well dressed, well-spoken people of all ages. The core were career criminals who led the high life in London. They recruited Australians working in Britain - actors, musicians, writers, TV and theatre directors, academics, school teachers. (London has always attracted Aussies from the literate or creative professions. There must be some baby boomers who financed the start of their careers this way.)

A group of, say, 6 people dressed and acting as aristocrats, army officers, or wealthy upper-class types would enter a jeweller's shop, taking turns to distract the staff, they would literally empty the display case and leave. When the staff discovered their loss just by chance some London police, or a Scotland Yard detective would happen by. They would take down descriptions and rush out in search of the gang. Nether shoplifters or police would ever be seen again.

Not mentioned in the book, but told to me by a ham radio operator, now deceased, was that they communicated with Australia and other countries they were working in using coded radio teletype messages sent on ex-military gear, then readily available to hams.

They used to joke that "Britain sent us a lot of criminals, it's only fair that we send a few back".