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Thief Borra steals away after the Conelli show

22/11/2016 written by Mohan Mani
The Conelli Christmas Circus offers the last chance to be robbed by Charly Borra (70). The pickpocket king performs for the last time.

Watch out when entering the circus tent: "Even before the performance, I look at the people and pay particular attention to people who are carrying enough items to steal," the master trick thief Charly Borra, who is giving his farewell performance at this year's Conelli Christmas Circus, tells the event reporter. "I had some good victims at the last Zurich premiere, such as SVP boss Christoph Blocher, whom I stole from. He doesn't represent my political views, but he was a good target. Generally speaking, the people of Zurich are usually elegantly dressed. I really like that because it shows respect for my art."

Stealing from celebrities

Charly Borra had to earn this respect: "I was actually supposed to study veterinary medicine first," he recalls. "But enchanting the audience is much nicer. In the end, my father gave me a comprehensive education in magic. Those were tough years. In the end, he gave me some money and a second-hand car with the words: "Go with God, but go!" Over the past 40 years, Borra has stolen from many famous people, including prime ministers and entire royal families. He has known Princess Stéphanie of Monaco since she was a child: "I even stole Marcel Reich-Ranicki's glasses once. However, this is only possible with glasses with a strength of five or six dioptres. But ultimately it has a lot to do with psychology. I see myself as a border crosser: how far can I go to give the audience pleasure?"

Charly Borra doesn't want apprentices

The art of trick theft has evolved over time. You become more sophisticated. I always have to think ahead, react at lightning speed and not allow myself any mistakes. Because the audience can be merciless: "Fortunately, the positive reactions outweigh the negative ones. I also often get inquiries about an apprenticeship. But I always turn them down: you never know what the knowledge will ultimately be used for." Instead, Borra gave a police seminar during his last Conelli guest appearance in Zurich: "That was very interesting and important for preventing future thefts."

Practical tips

Borra gives a practical example: "The man normally carries his wallet in the back right pocket of his pants. But the wallet would be much safer in a front pocket. The reason: a man's pelvis has a better blood supply than a woman's. The buttocks are less sensitive anyway. That's why you notice much more quickly if someone steals from the front than the back, where we are much less sensitive." Charly Borra has known the Conelli family for a long time: "For me, the Christmas circus is the best running show at this time of year. A big band, a manageable location and not huge. I'm looking forward to stealing from my fans here in Zurich again. Just for fun, of course".

CIRCUS CONELLI WITH CHARLY BORRA
until 31.12. 2016 Bauschänzli Zurich
TICKETS

Translated with DeepL