THE STRIKING FEATURE OF SUCH CRIMINAL ASSOCIATIONS AS THE GANG OF GU THE TERRIBLE, WHICH ROBBED A GOLD TRAIN IN 1938, IS THEIR RESEMBLANCE TO ORDINARY BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS AND TO WORKERS. THE BIOGRAPHY OF 'BIG JEANNOT,' THE LEADER OF THE 'GANG WITH BLUE SHIRTS' WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A LONG SERIES OF ROBBERIES, ILLUSTRATES A TYPICAL BANDIT'S CAREER. 'BIG JEANNOT' CAME FROM A FARM FAMILY; HIS FATHER DIED OF ALCOHOLISM WHEN JEANNOT WAS 16 YEARS OLD AND HIS MOTHER PUT HIM IN A HOME SO THAT SHE COULD PURSUE ROMANTIC INTERESTS. AFTER WORKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS A LOCKSMITH, SERVING IN THE ARMY, AND SELLING AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS, JEANNOT BEGAN A LIFE OF CRIME, INVOLVING ROBBERY, PROBATION, AND FINALLY, PRISON. AFTER HIS RELEASE JEANNOT MOVED IN WITH A WIDOW AND HER CHILDREN, WHICH GAVE HIM A CERTAIN AIR OF RESPECTABILITY. HE ENGAGED IN NUMEROUS CRIMINAL DEALINGS AND WITH THE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY HE EARNED BOUGHT AN HISTORIC MANSION. HE WAS CREDITED WITH PLANNING THE HOLD-UP OF THE CENTURY IN STRASBOURG IN 1971, BUT DISAPPEARED A SHORT TIME LATER, NEVER TO BE FOUND AGAIN. A NUMBER OF OTHER EXAMPLES SHOW THAT BANDITRY HAS BECOME A LUCRATIVE SIDELINE FOR INDIVIDUALS OF VARIOUS PROFESSIONS, EVEN POLICE OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS; SUCH AMATEURS COMMIT ILLEGAL ACTS, THEN RETURN TO THEIR NORMAL MIDDLE-CLASS ROUTINES. IN MANY CASES, GANG MEMBERS SHARE A LOVE OF FAST CARS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND GAMBLING. THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO APPREHEND BECAUSE THEY DO NOT IDENTIFY WITH ANY CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS AND LEAD A DOUBLE LIFE. A BANDIT WORKING ALONE MAY USE STOLEN MONEY TO PAY HIS DEBTS AND TO KEEP HIS SMALL BUSINESS GOING. SUCH AMATEURS CREATE A CLIMATE OF INSECURITY AND ABSORB THE ATTENTION OF POLICE SPECIALISTS, BUT IN THE PERMISSIVE, ECONOMICALLY TROUBLED SOCIETIES OF TODAY THEIR NUMBERS ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)