We don't need Derren Brown to teach elderly people to steal

The TV illusionist wants to make a point about our invisibility by training four of us to steal a painting – but we are perfectly capable of behaving badly without any help thanks very muchDerren Brown, illusionist, has realised that his parents are growing older – well done Derren – and that old people have "richer stories to tell". Now aware of our potential, he's going to train four of us to steal a painting from a London gallery. He could have chosen youngsters, but he wants to help elderly people by "making a point" about our "invisibility". It's not a bad idea, even though he has dredged up the same dreary old stereotype. Four drab old farts creeping round a gallery probably won't look suspicious. Yet we're quite capable of flouting the law and dressing like peacocks without help.My friend Olga did it last week. Her hair is striped, her clothes a riot of colour, Camden Town was jammed, as usual, and Olga was stuck on a bus, moments from her stop. Ten minutes passed, passengers started grumbling, Olga asked the driver to let her out, but he wouldn't open the doors."It's more than my job's worth," said he. "You can get out yourself if you want." But he wouldn't tell her where the door-opening button was, so, as she's a potter, used to heaving clay about, she and a young man wrenched the doors open with their bare hands and Olga escaped. The young man didn't dare, because it wasn't allowed. How wet.Rosemary also escaped a bus, but without wrenching, because the kind ...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: The Guardian Art theft Derren Brown Culture Media Television Features UK news Crime Life and style Ageing Source Type: news