The Napoleons of Crime

"The Napoleons of Crime" refers to a famous essay by writer Donald Westlake that highlights a group of humorous, inventive criminals in the early 20th century. These individuals, such as George C. Leslie and Raymond Guay, were known for clever, sometimes audacious thefts and schemes that often involved a high level of ingenuity rather than violence. The term celebrates their resourcefulness and ingenuity, contrasting their cleverness with typical notions of criminality. It’s a recognition of how these “criminal masterminds” relied on wit and planning rather than brute force, turning crime into a form of intellectual challenge.