The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-06-24
The Ways Of ShOplifterS.

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"Do you cause the arrest OF many
shoplifters7" New York tradesman
was asked.
"Yes, a good many, but not all, by
any means. We don't disturb persons
unless we have the most positive proof
of their guilt. When the article stolen
is a trife we watch the woman so as to
remember her face, but usually do
nothing more. Not infrequently we
see thefts committed by women that
we believe are not babitually tres
passers, but were urged on by too strong
temptation and poverty. Such women
we take to a private room. We tell
them our suspicion. If they confess and
give Us what prove to be their right
names and addresses we let them 90.
But all this is very delicate matter.
and to make q mistake is very danger
Gus. You must know that shoplifters
are generally among the best dressed
and most respectable looking women
that come in our store. / stood at the
second-story skylight one day looking
aimlessly down on the first floor. ]
saw two elegantly dressed women put
ting away rolls of silk ribbon. /
watched them, and there wasn't any
doubt about it. | FASTENED down and
told the floor walker. He was astounded.
| persisted and he spoke to the women.
They were violently indignant. AS they
walked toward the door we saw them
throw the rolls of ribbon among some
boxes between two counters. We had
them followed. They lived in an ele-
CANT brown-stone house in Forty eighth
street.
Professional shoplifters," continued
the speaker, Every often wear great
cloaks. They can put away good deal
under them. By raising their folded
arms under their cloaks they conceal
the added size the stolen articles give
them. They have pocket made in the
trout of their dresses big enough to
hold number Of large packages. Why,
when we unloaded a woman here one |
day we took out of that pocket all that |
a good-sized boy could carry on his out
stretched arms. | remember how in
dignant that woman was when ac-
cused.
II was walking through the store one |
day when clerk told me he thought a
woman he was serving had stolen some
Leghorn hats. walked up to her and |
raised one of her arms suddenly.
Twenty-Five hats fell to the floor. You
Gnow what Leghorn hats are. They
are made of a kind of grass and fold
close together. She said that she had
picked them up on the floor and was
going to put them where the rest of the
hats were kept. We arrested her.
1.-THE hands Of an experienced shop
litter work faster than the eyes of an
observer. A central Office detective
standing in the store one day saw
putting away silk handker-
,hiefs. She'd hold one up as if to ex-
mime it, and then she'd suddenly pass
t into her other hand and then into
Dig front pocket with such lightning
ike rapidity that the dctectiy couldn't
ell what she was doing, but he thought
he was putting them back on the
ounter. He made a study of the sub
ect and caught her. Shoplifters often
teal our valises and baskets, and then
o round the store filling them up. We
now good many in the profession.
"The worst thing shoplifters do, "he
aid in conclusion, is to steal from our
ustomers. They are very fond of tax
lg pocketbooks and valises. Wewould
great deal rather they would steal
ON us, for their victims are sure to
i've store where they are robbed a
ad reputation. Not long ago lady
'ho had 1928 in silver in valise rested
on the counter a moment and it dis
ppeared. She found an old one in its a..
lace. We believed that the thieves ,
ho took it knew that she had the :
oney, and had followed her for long
stance."