Steaming is a form of robbery carried out by a gang or large group against passengers on public transport, most often trains or buses, and often involves some level of violence or intimidation rather than reliance on a weapon. The method relies on the sheer size of the group overwhelming victims through fear, and the same distraction and intimidation tactics have also been used by large groups to commit shoplifting. It has been documented on the London Underground and other urban transit systems, with cases reported in the British press in the 2000s.
Facts
Elements of OffenseBeyond robbing passengers on trains and buses, the same large group distraction and intimidation tactics used in steaming have also been applied to shoplifting. 1 Notable ExampleIn 1996, a gang of so called steamers was reported to have leapt over bank counters to rob banks in London. 2 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 Connections
Has Offense Grade
Entity-backed identity for the offense-grade enum value this offense already carries, resolved to a crime concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The offense-grade fact itself stays on the offense unchanged.
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Steaming (Wikipedia)
Main article textQuote, Main article text
may also be applied to other theft such as shoplifting, involving a large group employing distraction tactics, intimidation or actual violence.
2. 'Steamers' Leap Counters to Rob London Banks (The Independent)
Headline, 4 February 1996Quote, Headline, 4 February 1996
'Steamers' leap counters to rob London banks
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