Llanelli Star

Magician is tricked out of his takings

- Robert Dalling @RobertDall­ing rob.dalling@mediawales.co.uk 01554 700811

A STREET magician from Llanelli may resort to getting a security camera – after thieves repeatedly stole his takings.

Jonathon Jones performs his act, which involves sleight of hand, probabilit­y and mind tricks, with a deck of cards in shopping areas across South Wales.

On Friday, the 29-yearold travelled to Cardiff where he was performing his magic when someone sneaked up behind him and grabbed a large amount of his takings from his hat before running away.

It is the fourth time it has happened to Mr Jones, who says he is now considerin­g buying a GoPro camera to stop it happening again.

“Somebody came from behind me and snatched a load of change from my hat,” he said.

“I had started performing my magic and had a few people around me, and nobody saw anything. When I looked at my hat, there was significan­tly less change in there than there was previously.

“That money, in particular, was going towards a Christmas present for my wife, something specific she had asked for.

“At this time of year, it means I’m going to have to go and have another day of street performing to make that money up.

“It’s one of those things, it’s an occupation­al hazard. There are no cameras pointed at where I was performing and know who did it.”

Mr Jones said he did not hold any grudges towards the people who stole from him.

“It’s a difficult time of year for a lot of people,” he said. “Desperate times call for desperate measures, I don’t hold any grudges.

“I do think I’m going to have to get myself a GoPro camera now or start emptying my hat regularly.

“This is the fourth time this has happened, and it’s time maybe I do something to dissuade people from doing it.”

The magician, who lives in Bynea, Llanelli, performs his tricks up to four days a week from around 10am until 6pm. He said that in colder weather it can be quite tough.

In 2016 he had his flat I don’t cap, which belonged to his late granddad, swiped along with his day’s takings as he performed at Llanelli’s Stepney Precinct.

It prompted him to launch an appeal to track down the cap, but it was never recovered.

“But I was given a new hat by a lady in Llanelli who had read about what had happened,” he added.

“I feel because Llanelli has been so supportive of me, using the hat I was given instead keeps that appreciati­on and reminds me of where I started, no matter where I go.”

 ?? Picture: Jonathan Myers ?? Jonathon Jones performing one his tricks.
Picture: Jonathan Myers Jonathon Jones performing one his tricks.

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