A rogues gallery of some of the country's most notorious petty thieves has shed light on the criminal activity across Britain's rail network in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The British Transport Police's History Group has published mug-shots of transport criminals - some more than 100-years-old.

From swiping luggage from unsuspecting passengers, to cutting womens' skirts with a razor blade - these shameless con artists and convicts were handed harsh prison time for their crimes.

John Yates - alias John Hewitt, Patrick Hines, John Miller and John Roy - was sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labour in March 1921 for theft of a parcel of clothing; while Arthur Dunn was jailed for a month with hard labour in February 1920 for stealing dead rabbits from Wellington station.

While most nicked luggage, others were more daring.

Arthur Dunn was jailed for a month with hard labour in February 1920 for stealing dead rabbits from Wellington station
Arthur Dunn was jailed for a month with hard labour in February 1920 for stealing dead rabbits from Wellington station

North British Railway employee Thomas Drummond stole 12 bottles of whisky from a wagon and was sentenced for 20 days.

In 1922, Adenan Zacarianoer was sentenced to 30 days behind bars before being deported for stealing three pairs of ladies' shoes.

Some, it seems, were dealt with harshly. Edward Meitchie, a gardener from London, was sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labour - simply for loitering at Derby station in August 1922.

Viv Head, a retired Detective Inspector with the British Transport Police, helped compiled the gallery.

He said: "Before the digital age it was still important to circulate details of when and where offences were being committed and suspects."

"When offenders were arrested and went on to repeat their crimes it was quite common to circulate their photographs by way of bulletins and printed booklets. 

"They were a real rogues gallery and often looked exactly what they were - a rum bunch."