The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-02-28
THrEvInG IN STORES.

A paragraph is going the rounds to the
effect that 'shopkeepers complain of well
dressed people who purloin articles from the
counters, aud whom they dare not arrest
A salesman in big uptown dry goods
store, to whom the statement was shown,
shook his head very decidedly. " 1 don't
think, said he, there wonld be any
squeamishness in this establishment about
arresting a thief, no matter how well he
might be dressed And tell you it takes a
sharp lookout to catch them. OF course, we
have detectives, both male aud female, AND
hoor walkers who are supposed to have eyes
in the backs of their heads, and the clerks
keep the best lookout they can, but for oil
that the thieves get away with good many
things, especially in tho holiday season,
when we are MI so busy and the throng OF
shoppers so great Yon would be astonish.
ed TO see how easily woman can find hel
pocket whom she wants to slip into ii some
little thing that she happens to fancy
When woman nips a pair OF gloves or s
piece Of lace or some little thing like that
her hand will dart into that mysteriously
elusive pocket aud ont again like flash,
Then their large circulars and muifs afford
them chances to get away with things, and
the opportunities are improved TO such an
extent that the storckeepers get fairly wild
sometimes. 1t is true that In some cases
they do not bother 10 have shoplifters an
rested, simply because of the excitement
that might be caused and tho inevitable loss
OF time and annoyance of prosecution. Bat
you will find that the majority of shopkeep.
srs are opposed to such lenity rs a matter OF
principle. I'm sure, however, that cannot
imagine why anybody should be afraid tc
catch a thief and at least get his goods back
have heard it said that one sharp chap on
Sixth avenue makes quito good thing out
of well-dressed thieves, by catching and then
compromising with them woman who
is fairly and squarely caught, and sees the
dock of police court and newspaper para.
graphs and prison all before her, will pay
well to be let 60"
Dare not arrest Well, / don't know
about that" said storekeeper in one of the
avenue stores. "But it certainly is the fact
tthtt sonictltucb Wulutu are ulfOWtu " ctEty
OF without interference small articles TINT
they have nipped from our counters. II
You will examine, however, you will find
that in such cases the people SO favored are
persons who have running accounts with the
stores where they perpetrate these little rob-
berries, and that the storekeeper calmly puts
the purloined articles into the bill, which is
all the more sure to be paid promptly for
having them there, A few years ago there
was quite an excitement about kleptomania
which was nm inspiration of the DOCTORS to
account for stealing on the part Of well-to-
do people. | had case several years ago in
which rich woman used to steal at certain
times, and could not help doing 50. Her
husband knew it, and by arrangement with
me privately paid for all she took. She was
clumsy in her thefts was always seen at
them, and don't think l lost dollar by
them thanks to the husband, so never told
her that knew anything about them, nor
did my clerks. | should say, from my ex-
perience, that the number of thefts known
to storekeepers in which the stolen articles
are not returned or paid fer is exceedingly
small. J. San.