The Amateur Cracksman- Inspiration from the Raffles Stories

A great deal of inspiration for Victoriana can be found in the Holmes stories by Sr. Arthur Conan Doyle, but there is another series of stories written by Doyle’s brother in law, A. W. Hornung, that contains ideas and plots which are just as useful.While players may solve mysteries like Holmes, they will undoubtedly commit crimes like Raffles.

A.J. Raffles is cricketer and well connected society house-guest by day, but at night he is a brilliant and methodical burglar. His stories are chronicles by his partner in crime Bunny Manders. The two principle characters have the exact same dynamic as Sherlock and Watson. Bunny is not especially skilled but is reliable and always amazed by his partner abilities. Raffles is superhumanly perceptive and does not reveal how he pulled off his trick until the climax. Appropriately Hornung, dedicated the first Raffles book to Doyle.

Raffles inspiration:
Much as Sherlock explains his deducing methods to Watson, so does Raffles explain his criminal methods to Bunny. Obstacles, tools, security, locations, surveillance, and other minutia of a criminal enterprise are well described. Although the majority of the Rafffles stories are at best late Victorian if you’re playing a thief, or running a game with thieves these tricks of the trade might be useful.
Such as:
How to lie low in the house of an expert of criminology while he is away in Switzerland
Make a directional lantern by putting a candle in the crown of an upside down hat
Wear a sash of a silk rope with folded foot holds under a waistcoat
Taking a door off its hinges can be quicker than picking a lock
Escape plans are a must (horse, carriage, police uniforms, rented studio etc.)
If a job requires some funding, your fence may be willing to make a loan. This may make it more complicated.
If you think you're being followed, don’t turn around!
An iron spike topped fence is no match for a few Champagne corks
A small diamond, brown paper and some treacle will get you through a glass window
Wax warmed by the heat of your hand can take an impression from a palmed key.
In a tight spot, a very very specific wanted add in the Daily mail can covertly pull the party together

Possible Plots 
Many of the Raffles adventures can be cribbed for their basic plots. Here are the plots of a few of the stories written as story hooks:

A group of amateur sleuths try to trick a suspected crook into confessing at a dinner party, but they are not very good at it. Are the players the crooks or consulted to help?

A shady diamond millionaire returns to London and buys his way into a prestigious club. His libertine company and drunken thuggery, bring shame on his fellow members, but everyone is too frightened to confront him. He might be taught a lesson through the theft of his most bragged about possessions.

A criminal associate was smuggled into a bank vault, but his escape plan has fallen through. How can he be saved before he is discovered or runs out of air?

The son of an eccentric art collector stole one of his father’s paintings and sold it to his father’s rival. The buyer is not willing to return it, and the father wants to avoid a scandal. Maybe the players can help arbitrate a shady solution.

A lot of story mileage can be gotten in these stories. The four collections of original Raffles stories are available to read on Project Guttenberg.
The books are:
The Amateur Cracksman
Raffles: Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman
A Thief in the Night: A Book of Raffles' Adventures
Mr. Justice Raffles