"It an old con to go social event as a couple and one person act as the distraction while the other acts as the thief." He elaborates. The implication being that she could be his distraction and he could then work the room.

But. It's been a while since he's tried to lift things from people and he wouldn't necessarily, in this hypothetical, want his first time back in the saddle to be robbing other thieves.

"Though, if this is already a gathering of crooks, at least two other people would be trying that."