Banditry in middle earth and the third age

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

This suggests that the ruffians were a mixture of Dunlendings and Breelanders who joined them.

With the odd half-orc thrown in, as well.

Originally Posted by Zigûr

Butterbur also says "we're not used to such troubles; and the Rangers have all gone away, folk tell me. I don't think we've rightly understood till now what they did for us." This suggests to me that the Rangers probably kept the level of mundane criminal activity in Eriador fairly low. As for Gondor and Rohan, I couldn't say.

I'm inclined to think outlaw Men weren't a problem in Eriador in the Third Age, before Saruman's mischief. Aragorn makes mention of guarding Bree and the Shire from creatures that seem more sinister.

'But when dark things come from the houseless hill, or creep from sunless woods, they fly from us.'

'"Strider" I am to one fat man who lives within a day's march of foes that would freeze his heart, or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly.'

FOTR The Council of Elrond

Then again, when Butterbur hears Gandalf mention Lake Evendim when he and the Hobbits returned to Bree after Sauron's fall, he remarked that it was "haunted" there, and "none but a robber would go". Was the idea of it being suitable for a miscreant in place before the War, or was it a recent thought connected with the Ruffians?