For over a century, a group of women in London pulled off some of the most daring heists, ran blackmail rackets, and caused absolute mayhem, all while looking impeccably stylish. They were known as the Forty Elephants—an all-female crime syndicate that struck fear into shopkeepers and police alike.
The Rise of the Forty Elephants
The Forty Elephants (sometimes called the Forty Thieves) took their name from the Elephant and Castle district of London, a rough-and-tumble part of the city that has long been a breeding ground for criminal enterprises. While records suggest that they had been active since at least the 1870s, some sources hint at even earlier origins. However, it was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that they became a formidable criminal force.
Operating as a sister organisation to the infamous Elephant and Castle Gang (a male-run criminal outfit), the Forty Elephants weren’t just petty pickpockets—they were professionals. Their criminal empire revolved around large-scale shoplifting operations, which were conducted with the kind of organisation that would put today’s corporate logistics teams to shame.
How They Pulled It Off
The Forty Elephants specialised in shoplifting high-end goods from London’s most prestigious department stores. Harrods, Selfridges, and Liberty were all victims of their audacious heists.
Their technique was as simple as it was effective: gang members would enter a shop in small groups, distracting sales assistants while others stuffed expensive jewellery, silks, furs, and perfumes into hidden pockets sewn into their skirts and coats. Their clothing was custom-made for theft, allowing them to smuggle out an entire store’s worth of stock in broad daylight.
They also used an early form of identity theft. Some members, pretending to be rich socialites, would open store accounts under false names, order expensive items, and then vanish before payment was due. Others blackmailed wealthy men by seducing them and then threatening to expose their affairs, a lucrative sideline that made the Forty Elephants feared both in the shops and in high-society drawing rooms.
The Queen of the Forty Elephants: Alice Diamond
By the 1920s, the gang had a leader who would go down in criminal history—Alice Diamond, better known as “Diamond Annie.” Born in 1896 in Southwark, Alice was tall (around 5’10”), imposing, and known for wearing an impressive collection of diamond rings, which she reportedly used as makeshift knuckle-dusters in fights.
Alice transformed the Forty Elephants from a loosely connected gang of thieves into a ruthlessly efficient crime syndicate. Under her leadership, the group expanded its operations beyond London, targeting wealthy cities across the UK, including Manchester and Birmingham. She also introduced a strict code of discipline—if a gang member broke the rules, they would face severe consequences.
One of Alice’s most daring heists involved storming a West End jewellery store in broad daylight. Using brute force, distraction, and sheer audacity, the gang made off with thousands of pounds worth of goods before the police even knew what had happened. When Alice was eventually arrested in 1925, it was for violent conduct rather than theft—her reputation as a formidable fighter was well-earned.
Beyond Diamond Annie: The Evolution of the Gang
After Alice was sentenced to prison, leadership of the Forty Elephants fell to Maggie Hill, another fearsome operator who kept the gang going strong into the 1940s. Maggie, incidentally, was the sister of the infamous gangster Billy Hill, a key player in London’s criminal underworld.
Under Maggie’s rule, the gang adapted to the increasing difficulties of shoplifting as stores improved security measures. They moved into burglary, fraud, and blackmail, with some members even marrying into the criminal elite to secure their positions.
By the mid-20th century, however, changing social conditions and tougher policing made it harder for the Forty Elephants to operate at their former levels of success. Increased use of surveillance, better-trained shop assistants, and improved policing meant their era was coming to an end. By the 1970s, the gang had largely faded into history.
A Legacy of Infamy
Despite their decline, the Forty Elephants left a lasting impact on Britain’s criminal history. They were remarkable not just because they were women operating in a male-dominated underworld, but because they were so good at it. Their ability to outwit, outfight, and outsteal their male counterparts made them legends.
Their story is a rare glimpse into an all-female criminal empire that was both highly successful and deeply feared. The Forty Elephants weren’t just a gang—they were a phenomenon, proving that when it came to organised crime, women could be just as ruthless, cunning, and daring as any man.
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