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Confessions of a Second Story Man: Junior Kripplebauer and the K & A Gang
From the 1950s to the 1970s, from Bar Harbor to Boca Raton, the ragtag crew known as the K&A Gang robbed wealthy suburban neighborhoods with assembly line skills. It was hard to imagine a more unlikely crew of successful thieves, writes Allen Hornblum. [They were] two-fisted, beer-guzzling, ear- and nose-biting hoodlums from a blue collar section of Philadelphia called Kensington. The gang infuriated homeowners up and down the East Coast, while baffling police. Confessions of a Second Story Man follows the gang as they move in and out of homes, courtrooms, and prisons, and even go on the run. Hornblum describes the transformation of the K&A Gang from a group of blue collar thieves to their work in conjunction with numerous organized crime families and their role in making Philadelphia the meth capitol of the nation. It is a compelling read about a fascinating bunch of hoodlums.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 1, 2011
This book was a very informative book to read about a group rarely covered in any documentaries, and overshadowed by New York or Chicago Criminal enterprises. Growing up in the Kensington area of Philadelphia myself, the men spoken of in this book are held as legend, although sadly, spoken of and copied. As the area gets worse and more violent, the criminals from the era in this book are almost missed because of the rules they had. The book is good at conveying this, but is incredibly informative, and a bit hard to follow from how it bounces through era's. All and all I suggest reading it because it sheds light on a wave of crime not very often covered, yet massive in scale.
January 11, 2013
The first half of this book had me almost rooting for the bad guys, seeing how difficult it was to make an honest living at the time in the cities, but not quite. It really was interesting to see the attention to detail and well thought out plans these men would come up with, had it only been directed toward positive goals...
The middle section began to repeat the same details that we had already been told.
Overall, I enjoyed discovering the exploits of this group of misfits but was satisfied to find out that the majority of them did end up having to pay at least something for their misdeeds!
The middle section began to repeat the same details that we had already been told.
Overall, I enjoyed discovering the exploits of this group of misfits but was satisfied to find out that the majority of them did end up having to pay at least something for their misdeeds!
July 14, 2017
I enjoyed this very much. I moved to Philadelphia 6 years ago and don't have family connections to the history of the area. It gives insight into the area, the Main Line, crime before drugs because the force of the region. It's even more fascinating that the a lot of the guys are still here...in Philadelphia.
January 7, 2009
Consider this rating for what it is: a ROAR out loud book about as colorful a bunch of characters as one might ever encounter, in fiction, real life, or non fiction. This has quickly become a favorite.
May 22, 2016
Pretty entertaining read - redundant at times throughout, which made it confusing. You'd probably like if you have some interest in Philadelphia, Irish-American culture, or true crime stories - better if all 3.
November 11, 2011
I loved it! How can you not love kenzo's?
April 25, 2017
Can't say it was my type of book, but it was okay. The thing I liked most about reading this was that my professor invited Chick Goodroe and Hornblum himself to speak to our class.
February 13, 2024
As a group of hoodlums and gangsters, the K & A Gang is not well-developed, even by the standards of other Irish or WASP gangs. Hornblum's research identifies a lot of the prominent figures and their interrelations with other hoodlums. The strength of the book is the sources. The book is based almost entirely on interviews with the criminals themselves, and possibly the lawmen chasing them. The result is that the book largely repeats whatever they say without much to corroborate or contradict them. This is more pronounced in the later chapters that are entirely based on Kripplebauer's recollections.
The K&A Gang was a predominantly Irish group of tough guys who burgled the homes of rich people along the Eastern Coast in the 1950s and 1960s. They operated in crews of four men with 2 searchers, one driver, and one watchman. They called it production work because they treated it like a factory line work. There was very little organization or diversified rackets. They were mostly burglars working in tight-knit groups with crew chiefs including Kripplebauer, Effie Burke, Willie Sears, Ted Wigerman, and John Berkery. Hornblum does not offer any evidence of how the crews operated in relation to each other or how they interacted with other crime groups, like the Italians. They are more Ocean's Eleven and less Boon Dock Saints.
Most f the book is anecdotal in nature. Hornblum scored enormous success in getting many of the guys to open up about their lives of crime. Most were cautious about specifics or anything violent, making the book full of stories about Effie Burke pooping in front yards or similar hi jinks. The stories add authenticity and humor while saying little about the gang. Another common theme was Charlie Devlin, who was not really part of the gang, but something of a legend for his brand of violence in the K&A neighborhood. Everyone that Hornblum interviewed had something to say about Devlin. Devlin's demise also bespoke that the gangsters could be violent, despite their claims that they never wanted to hurt anybody. The hint of violence that permeated the gang (like any other Irish gang) was focused inwardly. The gangsters killed themselves more often than outsiders. One weakness of the book was the lack of violence and mayhem that typically goes along with the Irish gangs as they self-destruct.
There is a single chapter on the cops. Hornblum also claims that he interviewed a number of former lawmen who pursued the K&A Gang. However, there is almost no first-person perspective in the book from the lawmen. The chapter does a good job in describing their response and pursuit of the gangsters; but there are no anecdotes from FBI Agent Bill Skarbeck talking about how tough Effie Burke was, or how violent Kripplebauer was, or how he especially loathed any other hoodlum. The chapter is lacking the color that highlights the rest of the book.
Kripplebauer's recollections occupy the later chapters of the book. Like so many hoodlums who tell their stories, it is full of self-pity; but also surprisingly upbeat and positive as Kripplebauer fought the system so he would have a life after prison unlike so many of his colleagues. There are hints of extreme violence, but Hornblum passes them off as hyperbole and fantasy rather than the possibility that Kripplebauer was serious and experienced in violence. That is the problem of not having corroborating sources, even from the lawmen. It is a bit curious that Hornblum never cites the PA Crime Commission reports or FBI files. Both are relatively easy to obtain and offer material that could be corroborating.
Overall, the book portrays the gangsters like leisure criminals more fun and gruff rather than dangerous. The stories mostly come from the criminals themselves, so they are heavily biased in portraying themselves as gentlemen rather than cutthroats. In a few cases the violent side of the gang shines forth, like the Pottsville caper or the sudden and violent death of crew chief Willie Sears. Otherwise, the violence surrounding the gang is shouldered on non-gang members, giving them a mythical status as glowing as the gangsters themselves. The book does not say much about the gang except to say they were burglars and identify the most prominent members, which is a draw-back. But otherwise, it is extremely rare for so many former members to open up about their lives.
The K&A Gang was a predominantly Irish group of tough guys who burgled the homes of rich people along the Eastern Coast in the 1950s and 1960s. They operated in crews of four men with 2 searchers, one driver, and one watchman. They called it production work because they treated it like a factory line work. There was very little organization or diversified rackets. They were mostly burglars working in tight-knit groups with crew chiefs including Kripplebauer, Effie Burke, Willie Sears, Ted Wigerman, and John Berkery. Hornblum does not offer any evidence of how the crews operated in relation to each other or how they interacted with other crime groups, like the Italians. They are more Ocean's Eleven and less Boon Dock Saints.
Most f the book is anecdotal in nature. Hornblum scored enormous success in getting many of the guys to open up about their lives of crime. Most were cautious about specifics or anything violent, making the book full of stories about Effie Burke pooping in front yards or similar hi jinks. The stories add authenticity and humor while saying little about the gang. Another common theme was Charlie Devlin, who was not really part of the gang, but something of a legend for his brand of violence in the K&A neighborhood. Everyone that Hornblum interviewed had something to say about Devlin. Devlin's demise also bespoke that the gangsters could be violent, despite their claims that they never wanted to hurt anybody. The hint of violence that permeated the gang (like any other Irish gang) was focused inwardly. The gangsters killed themselves more often than outsiders. One weakness of the book was the lack of violence and mayhem that typically goes along with the Irish gangs as they self-destruct.
There is a single chapter on the cops. Hornblum also claims that he interviewed a number of former lawmen who pursued the K&A Gang. However, there is almost no first-person perspective in the book from the lawmen. The chapter does a good job in describing their response and pursuit of the gangsters; but there are no anecdotes from FBI Agent Bill Skarbeck talking about how tough Effie Burke was, or how violent Kripplebauer was, or how he especially loathed any other hoodlum. The chapter is lacking the color that highlights the rest of the book.
Kripplebauer's recollections occupy the later chapters of the book. Like so many hoodlums who tell their stories, it is full of self-pity; but also surprisingly upbeat and positive as Kripplebauer fought the system so he would have a life after prison unlike so many of his colleagues. There are hints of extreme violence, but Hornblum passes them off as hyperbole and fantasy rather than the possibility that Kripplebauer was serious and experienced in violence. That is the problem of not having corroborating sources, even from the lawmen. It is a bit curious that Hornblum never cites the PA Crime Commission reports or FBI files. Both are relatively easy to obtain and offer material that could be corroborating.
Overall, the book portrays the gangsters like leisure criminals more fun and gruff rather than dangerous. The stories mostly come from the criminals themselves, so they are heavily biased in portraying themselves as gentlemen rather than cutthroats. In a few cases the violent side of the gang shines forth, like the Pottsville caper or the sudden and violent death of crew chief Willie Sears. Otherwise, the violence surrounding the gang is shouldered on non-gang members, giving them a mythical status as glowing as the gangsters themselves. The book does not say much about the gang except to say they were burglars and identify the most prominent members, which is a draw-back. But otherwise, it is extremely rare for so many former members to open up about their lives.
March 26, 2023
After not finishing the previous book I started, this one was a welcome change. Interesting content, competently written.
As I got further into it, the book seemed to lack focus. While Junior Kripplebauer is the main focus, many other K&A burglars were also interviewed and featured. So the title isn't exactly accurate. And the flow was confusing. And there was overlap, like I was reading the same thing over and over.
The prose alternates between impartial reporting and colorfully written recreations of certain incidents. The juxtapositions weren't doing it for me.
I read this in eBook form so I have no idea how many pages it actually is. This book would have benefited from a competent editing down. But what it is is what we got.
Overall, I enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad there is a book recording this bit of history.
As I got further into it, the book seemed to lack focus. While Junior Kripplebauer is the main focus, many other K&A burglars were also interviewed and featured. So the title isn't exactly accurate. And the flow was confusing. And there was overlap, like I was reading the same thing over and over.
The prose alternates between impartial reporting and colorfully written recreations of certain incidents. The juxtapositions weren't doing it for me.
I read this in eBook form so I have no idea how many pages it actually is. This book would have benefited from a competent editing down. But what it is is what we got.
Overall, I enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad there is a book recording this bit of history.
September 5, 2025
After not finishing the previous book I started, this one was a welcome change. Interesting content, competently written.
As I got further into it, the book seemed to lack focus. While Junior Kripplebauer is the main focus, many other K&A burglars were also interviewed and featured. So the title isn't exactly accurate. And the flow was confusing. And there was overlap, like I was reading the same thing over and over.
The prose alternates between impartial reporting and colorfully written recreations of certain incidents. The juxtapositions weren't doing it for me.
I read this in eBook form so I have no idea how many pages it actually is. This book would have benefited from a competent editing down. But what it is is what we got.
Overall, I enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad there is a book recording this bit of history.
As I got further into it, the book seemed to lack focus. While Junior Kripplebauer is the main focus, many other K&A burglars were also interviewed and featured. So the title isn't exactly accurate. And the flow was confusing. And there was overlap, like I was reading the same thing over and over.
The prose alternates between impartial reporting and colorfully written recreations of certain incidents. The juxtapositions weren't doing it for me.
I read this in eBook form so I have no idea how many pages it actually is. This book would have benefited from a competent editing down. But what it is is what we got.
Overall, I enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad there is a book recording this bit of history.
December 18, 2024
Entertaining, especially for someone who has an interest in the region. Remarkable what these folks were able to pull off. Although it can get redundant, it paints a vivid picture of post war Philadelphia all the way through the 80’s and 90’s. Particularly in Kensington and its surrounding neighborhoods.
February 20, 2025
Being born and raised in Kensington I guess it's a second Bible you could say
June 14, 2020
About the bad guys in the neighborhood where I was razed.
Why do people glamorize crime?
Why do people glamorize crime?
February 28, 2012
From the 1950s to the 1970s, from Bar Harbor to Boca Raton, the ragtag crew known as the K&A Gang robbed wealthy suburban neighborhoods with assembly line skills. It was hard to imagine a more unlikely crew of successful thieves, writes Allen Hornblum. They were two-fisted, beer-guzzling, ear- and nose-biting hoodlums from a blue collar section of Philadelphia called Kensington. The gang infuriated homeowners up and down the East Coast, while baffling police.
Confessions of a Second Story Man follows the gang as they move in and out of homes, courtrooms, and prisons, and even go on the run. Hornblum describes the transformation of the K&A Gang from a group of blue collar thieves to their work in conjunction with numerous organized crime families and their role in making Philadelphia the meth capitol of the nation. It is a compelling read about a fascinating bunch of hoodlums.
Confessions of a Second Story Man follows the gang as they move in and out of homes, courtrooms, and prisons, and even go on the run. Hornblum describes the transformation of the K&A Gang from a group of blue collar thieves to their work in conjunction with numerous organized crime families and their role in making Philadelphia the meth capitol of the nation. It is a compelling read about a fascinating bunch of hoodlums.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2013
The beginning and the ending chapters were good but the middle chapters seemed kind of reluctant. Overall the characters depicted here were interesting enough to keep me interested.
April 18, 2013
Some parts were more interesting then others. A few chapters were super boring and dry to me.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews