Burglars Quote by Sally Stanford
“They were a wonderful set of burglars, the people who were running San Francisco when I first came to town in 1923, wonderful because, if they were stealing, they were doing it with class and style.”
About This Quote
Source Memoir: San Francisco 1920s, Sally Stanford, 1978
Describes early 20th‑century thieves as stylish, implying charm can soften wrongdoing.
In simple terms: Even criminals can be charismatic.
Key Takeaway
Recognize charm doesn’t excuse crime.
Themes
crime
style
history
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
cultural
observational
When to use this quote
- historical tours
- crime fiction writing
- ethical debates
Key Concepts
Social perception
morality
Questions to Reflect On
- Do we excuse bad behavior because of style?
- How does charisma affect moral judgment?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing crime can overlook victims.
![“Suppose . . . burglars had made entry into this . . . [library]. Picture them seated here on this floor, pouring the light of their dark-lanterns over some books they found, and thus absorbing moral truths and getting moral uplift. The whole course of their lives would have been changed. As it…” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/917/mark-twain-22_absorbing_suppose-burglars-had-made-entry-into-thi_281932.jpg)
![“[it is] a high class kind of subversion, very high class. We're not second story burglars. We go right in the front door.” quote by Mike Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/51e/mike-gorman-263386_burglars_it-is-a-high-class-kind-of-subversion-ve_216253.jpg)
![“[On entering the restaurant business:] Food has the dubious advantage of being legitimate, and one's customers somehow manage to live longer without sex than food, if you call that living.” quote by Sally Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c67/sally-stanford-40535_advantage_on-entering-the-restaurant-business-food_313773.jpg)
