# The Criminologists' Club explained — A Thief in the Night

> Chapter companion for A Thief in the Night by E. W. Hornung.

## What happens

Raffles reveals to Bunny how he single-handedly robbed Lord Thornaby's dressing room during a dinner with the Criminologists' Club, a group of crime enthusiasts. He describes his meticulous planning, including watching the house from Bunny's window, sending the valet away with a fake telegram, and altering the clock to create an alibi. Bunny initially doubts Raffles's claim but is convinced by the evidence. Raffles then explains that he stored the stolen robes and coronet in the Charing Cross cloakroom and sent the ticket to Lord Thornaby.

## Themes in this chapter

### Crime and Morality

The chapter explores the audacity of Raffles's crime and the moral ambiguity of his actions, as he outwits a group of crime experts.

### Identity and Deception

Raffles and Bunny attend the dinner under false pretenses, and Raffles's successful burglary further blurs the line between his public persona and his criminal identity.

## Character check-ins

### A. J. Raffles

Describes his solo burglary of Lord Thornaby's dressing room during the Criminologists' Club dinner, including his planning and execution.

### Bunny

Initially skeptical of Raffles's claim, but becomes convinced after seeing the evidence from his window.

### Lord Thornaby

The host of the Criminologists' Club dinner and victim of the burglary; described as a knowledgeable but inactive man.

## Key lines

> I folded and put away every garment before I permitted myself to rag the room.

Raffles meticulously tidied the dressing room after the burglary to create a false alibi.

_Demonstrates Raffles's attention to detail and cunning._

> But Raffles stabled the white elephants in the cloakroom at Charing Cross—and sent Lord Thornaby the ticket.

Raffles stored the stolen robes and coronet in the Charing Cross cloakroom and mailed the claim ticket to Lord Thornaby.

_Highlights Raffles's audacious and ironic final act._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_thief_in_the_night_se/chapters/the-criminologists-club
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_thief_in_the_night_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_thief_in_the_night_se/chapters