New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23
TRICKS OF SHOPLIFTERS.
HOW THEIR SCHEMES ARE FoILED.

made public every year. We ma, as rule' that tn
accused people, generally women. evidently belong t
The professional criminal class Now and then perhaps
ea does occur In which unfortunate woman, who
nv the circumstances of her lie aud position would seen
far removed from the necessity, and almost berer
Of any motive for such petty piliering, has
nevertheless, succumbed TO temptation anc
.nseayored 10 walk out Of store with
out attending to the slight formality OF paying FOL
what she carries out with her. Whether the so-csled
t,eptonania can be allowed plea for the defence 10
se cases Is point would be out OF place to argue as
ia also the question whether moral obqty to be
less severely punished when Its possessor s haDted In
brocaded velvet than when ginghan'gOwn and bat
tered bonnet compose her outer garments 1t is appar
cut, however, that moro temptations are nowadays
thrown I'm the way OF the amateur and more opporuui-
tbs Afforded TO the professional shOpfter than was the
case few years The drygoods store OF to-day mas
by a consistent process OF evolution, become huge
bazaar in which upon rows OF tables are heapeu
high with personal knickknacks OF utility and adorn-
rnent Periodical openings" attract such crowos OF
customers that they outnumbcr the attendants an"
saespeople twenty and thirty to one, ana rs
one pair Of eyes only be fixed on the movements Vi
one customer at time, 1t follows that the remaining
nineteen or twenty mine for space OF tne' orc "
less brief follow their inclination even tney snou 10
predatory without Let or hindrance'
TRIBUNE reporter called upon several or the leadihg
retail rygoods merchants Of the city and oonversed with
them or their representatives this subject AS might
have been expected the large sxthave and downto"n
stores complain the most, while those on Brosdwsy
whose business is conducted more conservative les
md themselves to be ltto troubled by customers with
shady notions as to the value Of mcum and tuum.
PROFESSIONAL THIEVES DRIVEN AWAY.
SWe rarely have much trouble" said Messrs
Arnold & Constable, "for we believe In the
oaa adage, that an ounce OF prevention
A worth pound of cure' We. therefore, have private
detective. who is skilled physiognomiSt as far as tne
Rogues Gallery goes, and who watches every one that
romes into the store known professional enters she
Is politely told that other store much more likely TO
supply her with the goods she is in quest Of II she does
not take the hint the request her In place OF her
company Is made In palmer language Anyhow she Is
got rid OF with all expedition. We find, however that
few trouble us with a visit The fact Of the matter is
that our store perhaps the worst hunting ground In the
city for these arauders 1t is rarely crowded our Gus
TONERS are mostly known TO employees, and we
have no Openings or other days Of excessive and ex
haOrdinary rush."
NO OPENINGS" AND FEW TEMPTATIONS.
One of the firm Of Lord Taylor said We are chiefly
Old the lookout for PROFESSIONALS but employ noresar
means Of deecOns for detectives time would be wasted
utterly in store. The amateur shoplnter Is rarely
found I'm the rank OF life from which draw the major
iiy OF customers and the professionals know that eH
cent in rare instances business visit TO orr store would
result in loss OF valuable energy just look about and
You will see how difficult II would DO for any one to
or saleswoman. We have no small articles
heaped up on and counters and the only opportu
nifty given for purOining is when aces and such Ike
small goods being displayed by one OF our assistants
We rely too customers, who would at once make
known the fact should they any getting away
with any thing Now and then, Of course we have case
brought to our notice but only take action when we
know It is professional In let the guilty
party go unpublished, for the shame OF detection,
which consider the best preventative against sec
ond attempt"
STORE WHERE THIEVING IS RARE.
One OF the firm OF Macy Co. found in tho pleas
ant arsticaly furnished room which serves them az an
phce ave really attach very little Importance to the
snbect" said he, "for imagine that in proportion to the
siIc of our store we lose little by shOpng any
businesshouse in town. We have policeman stationed
the sidewalk outside a plan-cothes man Inside, and
corps of many hundred watchfu detectives in the shape
Of our saespeople That's the secret. Our people
are continually on the watch ana the Gus
toners know IT, Now and then, OF course a
ease is brought TO notice. but have
not prosecuted more than half dozen cases the last
five years and those all regular thieves think
have more trouble with pickpockets than with shop
Bfters for the former profession easy nowadays
while the latter ia beset with difficulties Now and
there unpleasant In this little Office when
richly dressed customer is brought before accused
by our detective OF secetlng Of property TIE
story Is always the same sudden impulse, necessity,
will pay twenty times the value OF tho stolen article.
only for Heavens sake do not expose and as rule
do not for what end should we serve AS Is we can
rest assured that the experiment will not be repeated
twice"
A DETECTIVE NOT ALWAYS USEFUL.
81 have had good many years experience" said one
OF the firm of simpson, Crawford & Simpson, and though
cannot pretend to estimate the amount of yearly
loss, tmust be something considerable PROFESSIONALS
Well, no. We manage TO spot them by means Of our
detectives as soon as they into the that l
general rule. But occasionally, Of course, they get
and try to get out rather burdened with nm paid
dry goods than when they entered Why only the other
day a sitting at the glovc-counter with her
umbrella by her side leaning against the
turned over the gloves she occasionally dropped pair
into the umbrella and glanced round in furtlve
10 see the coast clear IstOOd silently watching her
for some time, and then eyes met walked quietly
mp to her and said Why. you didn't think you conld
play that game here did you That racket played out
you know by this time She as cool you please
about It, but let her she bad opened her
umbrella and let the gloves fall out the floor. Now
That woman Is known TO after that and could
get into Yaudcrbs drsvingroo as into this store As
shOpwakers than to him. He knows the oldmers, but
he would have to he possessed Of hundred pair OF eyes
10 look after the pecnatOrs Talking about detectives
remember when was In Philadelphia house years
ago, we employed a detective who used strut 10 |
one day looked down the well in the OF the build
ing and Mr. Detective filling his pockets with vArou.
unconidered thcs He didn't detect any longer that
establishment. DO you know that my impression Is that
most Of the tnefts committed by who far
removed from anything approaching to want. We are
more on the lookout for professional pckpockes than
for shop berS and the present absurd fashion ladies
have OF carrying their pocket60Oks IN dangling hand
bag adds greatly 10 the number OF lost purses. Often
mud an empty pOcketiOOk the floor and know tie |
whole story al The bag has been dey opened the
pocketbO0k taken ont ~ lily opened In its aud the
contents transferred 10 the ihiefs pocket.
SOME OFFENDERS THAT EXCITE PITY.
One OF the Arm OF Ridley * Co. said: al do not think
more than cent probably less than that OF the
brought TO my notice by my employees profos
sionai shoPers The remainder belong 10 the respect
able casses-wOmen, sometimes, who In poor ccum
stances but have the reputation Of being perfectly honest
They come in here TO buy small necessary article
see chance OF picking up pair Of stockings think
Of the little cold legs home aud ;empta