Hiding:
Press Up while in front of an object. The thieves can still find you, but not as easily.

Freeze a bandit:
Move Kevin to the far left on the stairs that are under the gutter that you can climb on. Place a trap and remain there. The bandit will fall in the trap and be immobilized for a few seconds. Climb a short way up the gutter while the bandit is fallen. If he follows you up the gutter when he can move again, he will become stuck there for the remainder of the game, leaving you with only one bandit to avoid.