Sneaky seagulls have evolved to be great at nicking chips, bird boffins say.
Science writer Imaan Moin said that sly herring gulls have "a number of adaptations that make them really good at stealing".
Their wing shape, vision and even the size of their brains are all weapons when it comes to snaffling our seaside snacks.
Gull guru Ms Moin told the Unexpected Elements podcast: "Well, their wing shape helps them excel at slow controlled flight and getting away really fast. They have 320 degree vision and spot food sources from 50 metres away.
"And when they confirm something is food, they alert other birds to swarm on that food source as well."
Magpies, blue jays and crows also make "pretty good thieves". The animal egghead added: "Researchers have found over 197 species of birds swiping things when they feel like it.
"Some think this skill for stealing comes from them having larger than usual brains for animals of their body size."
The best way to stop the flying scumbags from pilfering your grub is to stare them out because they hate eye contact, experts have previously advised.
Unexpected Elements presenter Marnie Chesterton added: "They think they're sneaking up on you. But if you turn to face them and point at them, then they're not doing a stealth attack anymore and that should deter them."
But some people get "swarmed" and end up "spinning in a circle, trying to point at all of them at the same time".
It comes after Scotland's nature body was slammed last month for its wacky ideas around warding off the beaked beasts. NatureScot suggested sticking googly eyes on takeaway boxes to stop the pests swooping on them.
Agricultural Minister Jim Fairlie branded the idea "ludicrous".
In September, seagulls were facing being blasted with lasers and white noise as part of a new crackdown. A pot of £100,000 was due to be handed to councils to control the birds amid a "gull summit" aimed at coming up with a plan to stop their kamikaze attacks on humans.