David Copperfield robbery . . .

David Copperfield and two of his aides were robbed at gunpoint . . . the aides turned everything over but Copperfield took advantage of his trick pockets to conceal his valubles and memorized the license plate number and the descriptions of the teenage robbers which helped police apprehend them quickly . . . Gun-Toting Teens Rob Master Magician David Copperfield . . .

No magic tricks can stop a bullet, and thankfully master magician David Copperfield realized that when 4 teenagers brandishing guns jumped him and his aides as they walked to their tour bus earlier this week. According to police reports: Copperfield and two female aides, Cathy Daly and Mia Volmut, were walking to their tour bus outside the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., at approximately 11:15pm after a performance and late dinner. A black car pulled up beside them and, according to a statement issued by Copperfield’s representative, “At first we thought they were just more people wanting autographs.” Two of youths jumped out, waving guns and demanding cash and valuables. “They told us to give them money and our stuff. At that point we realised that there were guns in our face.” Page Six reports that: One Copperfield aide emptied her pockets of $400; the other handed over her purse containing 200 euros ($250), $100, her passport, plane tickets and a cellphone. Copperfield, unable to resist one little trick, turned his pockets inside out to show the thugs they were empty — despite the cellphone, wallet and passport he had tucked inside. The bandits then got in their car and took off. Copperfield, however, managed to memorize their license plate and, within 10 minutes, cops arrested the robbers and recovered the loot. “Call it reverse pickpocketing,” he told the Palm Beach Post. All four teens were charged with armed robbery and are being held without bail. The magician was generous with praise for the fast work done by law enforcement officials, adding: “I look forward to coming back to Palm Beach in the future, knowing that crime can happen anywhere.” “but from what I witnessed from the officers that night, we were lucky to be in Palm Beach when it did happen.”

Misdirection plus influence in extreme circumstances. Copperfield was able to keep a clear head.