Grafters – Mancs Abroad: More Inside Stories from Europe’s Most Prolific Sneak Thieves

Mark Blaney was a few years younger than his brother Colin (author of Grafters originally published by Milo in 2004, 9781903854280) and followed in his footsteps across Europe. His wry observations and laid back attitude make for a stark contrast to Colin’s early forrays into the sneaktheiving game. What they had in common was a desire to seek a world beyond Manchester’s council estates. By the 1980s the attitude ‘get on your bike and look for work’ was government policy, so the brothers were only following orders really. Mark fell into a life of low level crime quite easily. He honestly admits that he just was not cut out for normal work and the tales of the riches available abroad at little or no risk proved too tempting to turn down. Mark eventually settled down in Amsterdam and had a family. Adjusting to life as a dad proved difficult and he later returned to Manchester. Stuart Campbell is a different kind of grafter. A smart confidence trickster, a smooth talker, a visible presence with an eye for the ladies – he preferred to stand out rather than blend in. This contrasting approach made him perfect for jobs requiring a legitimate front man or someone who wouldn’t look out of place in a jewellers or a bank. This is the tale of those lads who lived high on the hog for a couple of decades across Europe robbing the natives blind. Like all rollercoaster rides, the lads knew it couldn’t last – this is the tale of how they survived when so many others didn’t make it off…