randomWalks - I think it had to

I think it had to be represented to the court that they were, in fact, gypsies. The implication is that their roots to the community are tenuous. I think it has to be said, for whatever it's worth, so that the judge might understand that these ladies . . . are more than just amateurs at what they do.

washingtonpost.com - 'Gypsy' Crime Warning Stirs Anger. A Fairfax County, Virginia, prosecutor argued that, as gypsies, two alleged thieves presented an unusual flight risk. The judge, in apparent agreement, denied bail.