{"product_id":"9781036182496","title":"The Border Mafia : Jailbreaks, Crime, Corruption and the Anglo-Scottish Reivers","description":"\u003cp\u003eMoney has no flag.   The largely rural borderland between England and Scotland was ravaged by marching armies in more�than three centuries of conflict between the great nations.�During this period from the Wars of Scottish Independence to the Union of the Crowns, many myths�and folk heroes were born, with later romantic writers glossing over the criminal brutality of the local�population, who suffered as the conflicts raged.   While crops, homes and livelihoods were destroyed, it also led to the development of a system of�family-based organised crime gangs among the hills and valleys. Livestock theft became a way of life�with burglaries, protection rackets, kidnapping for ransom, highway robbery, intimidation,�mutilation and murder an everyday occurrence.   With corruption and nepotism rife among officials, people being bought off, and witness intimidation�prevalent, the Borderers were also used as mob enforcers for powerful local landowners and nobles�and could find themselves in demand as mercenary soldiers and horsemen.   On the occasions that the law did catch up with them and the reivers found themselves�incarcerated, they sprang many daring escapes, enhancing their lawless status and criminal standing�among the community as feared members of the Border Mafia.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rye Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55732124385656,"sku":"9781036182496","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0064\/1368\/0730\/files\/9781036182496.jpg?v=1794270193","url":"https:\/\/ryebooks.co.uk\/products\/9781036182496","provider":"Rye Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}