Crime experts rate cons and heists in movies and television

Former criminals and investigators rate crimes in movies and television shows for realism. Lee Thompson, a master pickpocket who has worked with the UK police and Revenue and Customs in public-awareness campaigns about pickpocketing, rates pickpocketing techniques in "Ocean's Eleven," starring Matt Damon, and "Killing Eve," starring Sandra Oh. John Pennisi is a former made member of the Lucchese crime family who, after feeling he was betrayed by the family, cooperated with the FBI and became a government witness. Pennisi rates "The Sopranos," starring James Gandolfini, and "The Godfather," starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando. Cain Vincent Dyer is a motivational speaker and a former bank robber. He says he robbed over 100 banks across California between 1999 and 2001 before turning himself in, pleading guilty to six robberies, and serving nine years in prison. He rates bank-robbery scenes in "Money Heist" and "The Dark Knight." Charlie Santore, a professional safecracker and locksmith, rates safecracking scenes in "The Italian Job," starring Mark Wahlberg, and "Ant-Man," starring Paul Rudd. Mark Silverman, formerly associated with the Irish mob in Boston, rates Irish mob scenes in "The Departed," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon; "The Town," starring Ben Affleck; and "Black Mass," starring Johnny Depp. Brian Stanton, a casino executive and table-games-security expert, rates art- and diamond-heist scenes in "The Hangover," starring Zach Galifianakis, and "Casino," starring Robert De Niro. Octave Durham, a former thief, and Arthur Brand, an art detective, rate casino-heist scenes in "Black Panther," starring Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan, and "Ocean's 8," starring Sandra Bullock. Tatsuya Shindo, a pastor who was in the yakuza for 15 years, rates yakuza scenes in "Avengers: Endgame" and "Deadpool 2," starring Ryan Reynolds. Anyone who has been affected by violent crime can contact the National Center for Victims of Crime at 1-202-467-8700 or victimsofcrime.org.