# Is There Any Honor Amongst Thieves? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 24, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-honor-amongst-thieves/361943 "2006-06-24T01:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-honor-amongst-thieves/361943/1 "2006-06-24T01:53:00Z")
Is there any honor among thieves? I’ve often heard the old saying that “There’s no honor among thieves” (or something along those lines), and I assume that there’s no honor among other types of miscreants as well. Anyhoo, I think that there is no honor among thieves (unless it’s Robin Hood & His Merry Men) and maybe Ali Baba & Company, but I can’t say for sure. So, is there any honor among thieves? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-honor-amongst-thieves/361943/2 "2006-06-24T03:01:47Z")
Not among most criminal defendants, at least those not bound by _Omerta_ or similar oaths. A common defense strategy is to win the race to the DA’s office to cut a deal to testify against the other guy. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Clam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@Happy\_Clam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Clam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2006, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-honor-amongst-thieves/361943/3 "2006-06-24T10:52:33Z")
Not unless they know about the [prisoner’s dilemma.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma)