The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-05-05
sHoPLIFrING TRICKS.
The Methods of singular Metropolitan
Fraternity
New YorK Herald


II New YORK Herald
1--WE estimate our losses from shoplifting
at $4,000 year." said one of the proprie-
tors of large east side dry goods and fancy
goods store yesterday. In the busy hours
you can not estimate the number of people
that come to this store If you watch them
from the galleries, they swarm like ants. To
serve them We employ between 900 and 600
persons. We have to watch them sll Gus
toners and clerks alike. On the other hand,
IL is prime necessity to display our goods,
and to display them in such a way as will
tempt the dishonest.
''Shop girls are burdened with a reputa-
ton they don't deserve, and l hate 10 cay
anything against them, continued the shop
keeper, ''for there are girls working
for US who bend their necks to the
yoke of labor only from necessity,
and whose every instinct and action
is that of lady. But some of the girls
formed a ring with outsiders, and we discov-
cred them selling the best goods and sending
up checks for nominal figure, twenty-five
or fifty cents, when the real price might
have been as many dollars. We get infor-
mationsayalnst the girls sometimes from Gus
toners For instance, the last case was that
OF person who wrote that sucn and such a
looking girl at such and such a counter was
seen to drop bill on the floor, and send up
check for just so much less than the real
price. Whenever our attention is directed
against employees we generally catch them"
DO the cash boys steal?' was asked.
I'VE lose great deal by boys, both ia our
employ and from outside. You'd be aston
ished if you knew the number of Sons of
respectable people-often little boys-that
we catch stealing. Among our cash boys
there have been some very ingenious thieves.
One little fellow tore leaves out OF his cash
book so nicely that it was not discovered by
the cashier, although il might have besn that
night. We suspected him and took him into
private office, where we talked to him
earnestly. He admitted his guilt and said
he put the money in his shoe. There we
found $l4, the stealings of only few hours.
But there was a smarter boy, though | sus-
suspect be had adult accompIices outside.
he carried on his person little pad soaked
with printers ink, and an exact fec smile of
the cashiers stamp cut on the end of cork.
Whenever he got the exact price of an srti-
Gle sold from the saleswoman be went away
and stamped his cash book. and brought IL
back as IL from the cashiers desk.
do you cause the arrest OF many shop
lifters?" the tradesman was asked.
Yes, 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 q trifle we watch
the woman so as to remember her face, but
usually do nothing more. Not infrs quentiy
we see thefts committed by women that we
believe are not hsbltually trespassers, but
were urged on by too strong temptation and
poverty. Such women We take 10 private
room. We tell them our suspicion. II they
confess and give us what prove to be their
right names and addresses We let them go
But all this is very delicate matter, ana to
make a mistake is very dangerous You
must know that shoplifters are generally
among the best dressed aud most respectable
looking women that come IN our store
stood at the second story skylight one day
looking aim,essly down on the frat floor.
saw two eleganty-dressed women putting
away rolls OF silk ribbon. L watched them,
fastened down and told the hoor-walker.
He was astouuded. ] 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 |
elegant brown stone house II Forty eighth |
street."
Professional shoplifters," continued the |
speaker, very often wear great cloaks. They |
can put away good Geal under them. By |
raising their folded arms under their cloaks |
they conceal the added size the stolen arti- |
cles give them. They have pocket made |
in the front OF their dresses big enough to |
hold number OF large packages Why, |
-
We took out of that pocket all that good |
sized boy could carry on his outs retched |
arms. l remember how indignant that |
woman was when accused.
81 was walking through the store one day
when q clerk told me he thought woman
he was serving had stolen some Leghorn hats.
| walked up to her and raised one of her
arms suddenly. Twenty two hats fell to the
floor. You know what Leghorn hats are.
They are made of kind OF grass, and fold
close together. She had concealed $37 worth.
She said that she had picked them up on the
floor, and wss going to put them where the
rest OF the hats were kept. We arrested her.
The hands of en- experienced shoplifter
work faster than the eyeS Of an observer. A
Central Office detective standing in the store
enc day saw woman putting away silk
She'd hold one up IS il to
examine 1t, and then she'd suddenly pass it
into her other hand, and then into a big
front pocket with such lightning like rapid
lty tina. the detective couldn't tell what she
was doing. but he thought she was pntting
them back on the counter. He made study
of the subject and caught her. Shop
filters often steal our valises and baskets
and then go around the store filling them
up. We know a good many of the profess
sion. We sent man to the trial of Mr..
aud Mrs Volkener, who were accused lately
Of an attempt to poison Mr.. Blair, OF Chat
ham. n. Y. You remember 1t was said that
Mrs. Volkener and Mrs. Connolly, who lived
with her, were shoplifte-s. He came back
aud said that the face of the big woman Mrs.
was familiar one IN our store.
"The worst thing shoplifters do" he said,
In conclusion, sis to steal from our custom
ELS. They are very fond of taking pocket
books and valises. We would great deal
rather they would steal from us. for their
victims are sure to give store where they
are robbed bad reputation. Not long ago
a lady who had $12S in a valise rested 1t on
The counter for moment, and il disap-
peared She found an old one in it, place.
We believed that the thieves who took ii
knew that she had the money, and had fol-
lowed her for long distance"