The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-02-08
TRICKS OF yEMELRY THIEVES.

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TRICKS OF JEHELRY THIEVES.
Some Cunning Devices-Loss and recovery
of Diam ouds-woriings OF the Protec-
tive Union-A Galvanic Thief-Catcher. ~
Dealers in jewelry are particularly
exposed to losses through thieves and
swindlers, as their. goods, more than
those of any other tradesmen or manu-
facturers, contain great marketable
value in . small compass, and therefore
afford especial temptations to the dis
honest. of.
The thieves, both male and female,
who are frequently of very good appear
ance, hang about the jewelers. stores
until they see some respectable-looking
persons enter, and then 90 in with them.
They usually say that some friend ad-
vised them to come to that store to look
at a particular line OF goods, and they
commonly ask for some standard arti-
Gle. Then, II they can get some young
and inexperienced clerk TO wait upon
them-and they always try to get served
by q salesman of that kind-the chances
are that they will carry away with them
q great deal more In value than they
buy. Sometimes they buy nothing, but
usually they make some small purchase,
so as to cover mp their game more effec-
tually. ''-
The ssumbrella trick' was a very sue
cessful device Of the thieves few years
ago, but Is now pretty wen known to the
trade, and Is therefore but little prac-
ticed at present, Before its secret was
detected q well dressed thief would enter
a store with an umbrella in his hand,
closed, but not rolled up. He was usu-
ally accompanied by one or two confed-
crates Seating themselves by the coun-
ter, they would ask to be shown q yarie-
ty of certain goods, and in passing the
articles from one to another the princi-
pal would dexterously drop one now and
then within the loose folds of his um-
brella. When q number of chains,
rings, or bracelets had thus been slowed
away, the man with the now valuable
umbrella would suddenly remember an
engagement, and bid good-by to his
companions, who would cover his re-
treat by buying som6 trifiing ornament.
Some years ago q clever rogue was
successful in robbing several diamond
merchants in this city of costly gems,
having equipped himself by smearing q
little wax ON the end of his nose and
providing number of handkerchiefs in
his pockets. He was further prepared
by wearing spectaeles, and appeared to
be very near-sighted. When . package
of small unset diamonds was shown to
him, at his request, he would take it to
the window, and hold it very close to
his face simultaneously he would
bring the end of his nose against dia-
mond and make use of q handkerchief
to conceal and remove the stone which
had adhered to the wax. By affecting
to have bad cold, and always using .
different handkerchief, he was able to
abstract q number Of stones from the
same package. His last operation of
this sort had an unsuccessful ending
through his mistake in taking out q
handkerchief which he had used already
A diamond fell from it and rolled upon
the floor. Hoping that this was unno-
ticed, but not daring to remain, he has
tily excused himself and went to the
door, but found IL securely fastened.
One of the firm OF diamond dealers, by
pressing an electric button under his ta-
BILE, had shot q bolt at the entrance,
and when the thief turned around q re-
volver was pointed at his head. He was
obliged to submit to search, and o
number Of diamonds were found in the
handkerchiefs distributed through his
clothing. His arrest followed, and he
was sent to State Prison. an,
After this man with cane executed
theft very neatly in q New York dia-
mond house. Pointing over counter
with his cane at an open package of
unmounted stones, and asking 70 be
shown certain one, he lightly touched
q gem with the end of the stick, which
had been dipped in some glutinous ce-
ment. A diamond worth $500 adhered
to the tip, and the thief got away unde-
tected. Some time afterward he was
caught while attempting the same trick
his New York victim. -
Recently one of the "box men, or
drummers who travel for small jewelry
factories in Providence or Attleboro',
called at q well-known jobbing house
here, and was so gratifed at his pleas
ant reception by one of the firm, who
happened to be in q particularly good
humor, that he set his box down on the
floor aud entered into conversation with
out immediately proceeding to business.
When he turned to take up his box it
was missing, and he has never seen it
since. Undoubtedly thief had walked
into the place 'on speculation" and,
seeing the unguarded box, had quietly
walked out with it. Its contents were
worth several hundred dollars, although
most of the articles were of only six to
ten karat gold.
Sometimes the thieves adopt bolder
methods. Within the last fortnight a
man entered q iewelry store in Maiden
Lane, and, after looking at number of
gold watch-chains, suddenly snatched
three of them and dashed out of the
door. A nue-and-cry was instantly
raised, and a number of persons began
running. ThH thief ran into q s'palh on
the sidewalk, md knocked him down,
transferring the chains in the scuffie.
When seized and accused of the robbery
he indignantly denied the charge and
demanded to be searched. He said that
he had merely run in pursuit of the real
offender. As he had got rid of the sto-
len articles, and as no one could posi-
lively identify him, he was released. His
confederate, of course, had lost no time
in disappearing. q ~ e. g
Fastening the door of q jewelry store
on the outside by means of q cord, aud
then smashing the show window, forms
method OF robbery so extremely bold
and dangerous that it is rarely attempt-
ed at present, although some years ago
it was not very uncommon. Some of
our readers may remember the ingeni-
Gus effort once made to rob Broadway
jewelers. window which projected over
the sidewalk. At night q thief cut hole
In the bottom Of the window, and neatly
plugged it up again. Ths next day he
had a well-trained boy crawl under the
window, and, by means Of q long wire
with hook on the end, pull down
through the hole q number of gold
chains, etc. The trick was defeated by
the Investigations of salesman, after
he had been astonished to see chains and
bracelets creeping about in the window
rs if endowed with Life. i