[3][4] Throughout his life, Ramensky demonstrated great strength and gymnastics skills which he used to begin a career as a burglar, followed by graduating to safe-cracking, also known in the underworld as a "Peter man".
During his criminal career, Ramensky maintained that he never targeted individuals' houses but only businesses and he became known for never resorting to violence despite being arrested numerous times, resulting in the nickname "Gentleman (or Gentle) Johnny".
[1] Detective Superintendent Robert Colquhoun, one of his old adversaries, when taken ill, was sent a message by Ramensky wishing him a speedy recovery, suggesting he had been working too hard in pursuing him.
[4] In October 1931, Ramensky had married Margaret McManus and appears to have stayed out of trouble until March 1934 when he was sentenced to five years at HM Prison Peterhead.
Later in 1934, Independent Labour Party MP for Glasgow Shettleston, John McGovern, brought up the shackling issue with Godfrey Collins, the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Due to the intervention of a senior police officer from Aberdeen, he had attracted the interest of Robert Laycock who was seeking people with skills which could be used in commando raiding forces.
[3] The exploits may have been exaggerated as they supposedly include obtaining documents from Erwin Rommel's headquarters in North Africa, and Carinhall the county home of Hermann Göring in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve.