When the gentleman, Mr Brownlow, realises he is being robbed, Oliver is mistaken for the pickpocket and is then chased, captured and taken to the police.

After recovering from his injuries, Brownlow sends Oliver on an errand to pay a local merchant £5 and to return some books.

However, Oliver is caught by Nancy and Bill Sikes, who pretend to be his siblings, and is returned to Fagin's den.

This belief is further strengthened when Bumble, in response to Brownlow's newspaper advertisement for information about Oliver, gives a disparaging opinion of the boy.

Oliver gives his story to the widow Mrs Maylie, her son Harry and her adoptive daughter Rose, and Doctor Losberne.

The mysterious man is Monks, who is revealed to be Oliver's half brother (his true name being Edward Leeford).

Nancy, who still feels compassion for Oliver, overhears Fagin's and Monk's plans and tells Rose Maylie, hoping to thwart them.

Monks buys these items from the Bumbles and throws them into the River Thames, hoping that, by destroying them, Oliver's true identity will remain hidden.

After seducing Agnes, Leeford died, leaving a will which stated that the unborn child would inherit his estate if "in his minority he should never have stained his name with any public act of dishonour, meanness, cowardice, or wrong" in the event of which all would go to Monks.

Monks is given half of Oliver's inheritance in cash by Brownlow—who had been Edwin Leeford's best friend and the keeper of his secrets—in the hope that he would start a new life.