Is it possible to be mugged or pick-pocketed in Fallout 2? I was running around the den and my caps kept going down to zero, disappearing completely. When I reloaded they were there again. Thanks.

Thanks! That's what I thought. There is an animation of them doing something with their hands every time I walk past.

Yeah every time you walk past, they attempt to steal something from you. I'm not exactly sure what that checks against, but in my experience there's at least a 50% failure rate. There's a separate Perception check to determine whether you see them do their animation.

You could kill them, but personally I just pickpocket them every time I walk past. Usually they've got nothing, but every once in a while they snag something, and I just grab it right back.

Go into combat mode to get past them without being pick-pocketed, turn it off once you're past.

That's the best way. The more twisted and fun way is to drop everything but an armed explosive and let them pilfer it. Get away and they will explode. This is not counted as a crime against you.

Also there's a mod based on cut content that let's you help someone set up a safe home for the children to get them off the streets.