and brought it back to the governess’s house. At first, Moll tried to deny that she had intended to steal the tankard and claimed that she intended to return it. However, the governess warned her that if she returned the tankard, she would likely be caught and sentenced to death. The governess suggested that Moll should be satisfied with what she had stolen and even encouraged her to steal more items in the future to improve their lives.

Upon hearing the old woman's positive reaction to the theft, Moll realized that her elderly friend was more involved in criminal activities than she had previously thought. The governess revealed to Moll that she had melted down a stolen plate to conceal its origin and even melted Moll's own tankard before giving her the full value to show how much profit could be gained from stealing such items. The governess promised to help Moll become a more skilled thief, introducing her to an experienced robber who taught her various techniques, such as stealing wallets, watches, and purses, as well as how to select the perfect victim. Although Moll’s mentor was eventually caught and imprisoned and many of her associates met terrible ends, she continued to pursue her trade, albeit with a measure of caution.

As Moll honed her craft, she learned to exploit every opportunity to its fullest and gained significant profits from her criminal activities. For instance, she capitalized on the chaos of a burning house and stole most of a family's prized possessions. On another occasion, she recognized the potential for profit by informing customs officials of a hiding place for smuggled goods. Despite the danger of bargaining with officials who would have arrested her if they had known her real identity, Moll and the governess made substantial profits that outweighed the risks.

Moll was often able to rely on her intelligence to evade capture, even when her associates were caught. Even still, she still had many close calls. One time, she attempted to steal a watch from a woman in a crowd but was unable to remove it because it was secured too tightly. In order to divert the woman's attention, Moll pretended to be injured, but the woman was unconvinced and screamed that she was being pickpocketed. Moll feared she would be caught, but luckily, another pickpocket in the crowd was apprehended with a lady's watch, and the victim assumed that the thief who tried to steal her watch had been caught. Despite this fortunate turn of events, Moll was still at risk of being caught, but her clever ruse and high-class appearance helped her avoid suspicion. 

Moll not only dressed up in fancy clothes but also used various disguises to avoid getting caught. On one occasion, the governess arranged for Moll to commit a series of thefts with a young male accomplice, but Moll cleverly disguised herself so well that her accomplice thought she was a man. After their crime spree, her partner was caught and a group of witnesses chased Moll to the governess's house. However, Moll managed to escape suspicion by taking off her male disguise, and the crowd eventually apologized to Moll and the governess for unceremoniously barging into their home.

Part Ten: Captured

After evading arrest for many years, Moll became known as the most prosperous thief in England, as her governess often remarked. Moll's numerous successes made her increasingly restless, and like the wealthy stockbrokers and investors of her time, she sought to expand her options. One opportunity arose when Moll visited a distant gambling establishment. There, a drunken gentleman noticed her and praised her before giving her a portion of his winnings. He then invited her to take a walk with him outside, and they spent some time strolling in the streets and gardens before he asked her to join him for a ride in his coach.

While spending time together, the man perceived Moll as someone much younger, probably because he was extremely drunk. Despite his inebriation, he treated Moll kindly. Thus, when he asked her to come inside a house after stopping the coach, she had no apprehensions. However, in the privacy of a room, the man started to make advances; Moll initially resisted but eventually succumbed to his advances, reverting to the behavior of her earlier years.

Afterward, the man and Moll returned to the carriage. Shortly after it left, the man, exhausted from the demanding evening, fell into a deep sleep. Taking advantage of the situation, Moll stole all of his belongings. When the carriage stopped to let another carriage pass by, Moll got out without being noticed by the driver. As usual, Moll justified her theft by blaming the man for making himself an easy target. She also reasoned that he likely had a faithful wife at home, and because of his careless attitude towards marriage, he deserved to suffer for his unfaithful behavior.

Moll's governess was very pleased with Moll's trick, as she had a plan to make the man pay heavily for the return of his belongings. Based on Moll's account of the man, his carriage, and the area they had visited, the governess guessed his identity; by the next day, she had discovered where he lived. The governess then set up a meeting with the man—who turned out to be a baronet—to gauge how much he would be willing to pay to recover his stolen items and keep the scandalous events of his night with Moll quiet. The baronet was happy to pay for the governess's discretion, and after learning that Moll was not a prostitute but a lady, he expressed a desire to meet her again.

To prepare for the baronet’s arrival, Moll donned her finest garments and put on makeup for the first time, despite her previous aversion to it, as it reminded her of prostitution. Following their night together, the baronet handed her a small amount of money as he departed, which Moll felt was cruder than any of her previous dealings. However, Moll simply remarked that it was the first time she had earned money in that manner in years.

Moll hoped that the baronet would become her lover and offer her an alternative to stealing; however, he only visited occasionally, and the money he gave was not enough. As a result, Moll continued her criminal activities. Over time, she committed so many crimes that she stole out of habit, even when there was no benefit to be gained. Her most senseless crime occurred when a man asked her to watch his horse while he went into a tavern. On a whim, Moll took the horse back to her governess's home but later admitted that she had no idea what to do with the stolen horse. Neither she nor the governess had any use for it, so they eventually returned it to the tavern. It was too risky to demand a ransom, so neither of them gained anything from the whole situation.

Moll engaged in various criminal activities, such as: stealing from wealthy families by posing as a seamstress; taking trunks from rural lodgings while guests were absent; and tricking shopkeepers into making false accusations so that she could sue them for their errors. Despite numerous close calls with the law, Moll remained undeterred and continued her criminal pursuits. Even when her governess suggested that their wealth had grown so much that it was no longer necessary to steal, Moll took pride in the fact that her name had become more infamous than any other thief who had been incarcerated in Newgate Prison.

Ultimately, Moll's lack of caution during a regular theft at a linen store led to her capture by two women, who detained her until a police officer came. Moll begged to be released and pointed out that she had given back the stolen items, so imprisonment would not benefit anyone. However, her pleas were ignored, and she was taken to Newgate to face charges of theft.