Steaming (crime)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Steaming is British slang for a robbery by a gang on public transport, usually on trains or buses. The thieves work together, using distraction, intimidation, or violence to steal from passengers or staff. The term can also describe large-group theft in stores, such as shoplifting, where a crowd overwhelms staff. It has been reported on the London Underground and other city transit systems, but can happen elsewhere too.