Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-06
Some Recent and Ingenious
DodgeS Employed by Women
Who Rob Stores.
The Baby Scheme is Popular, and
the Handbag is Still Art
fully Used.
The Garter With Hooks is the
Latest Device and Comes
From Paris.

ceSSfully working the baby trick" has
-gain called the attention Of the police
authorities to this most common and
persistent class of criminals.
! The detectives employed by all the
leading dIy-gOods stores say that Il
large portion Of the women who steal
from the counters take only articles
! which they need foT their personal use.
! These are generally ribbons, gloves.
/ jewelry, and the like, which are easily
! concealed in one or another of the neat
little contriyances which are constantly
being added to the list of ''histing
kicks as the detectives call the false
pockets which ShOplifterS effect.
/ The Old-fashiOned pocket, which was
made Of muslin, was so big that when
fastened under the dress it reached the
knees. There is long opening through
the dress just below the Waistband,
: sometimes big enough to thrust a baby
/ in. This opening is covered from view
! by a flap of the waist, which can be
! lifted up. Sometimes these pockets ar
found to contain almost enough mer-
/ chandise, the detective says, to start a
small shop.
Large pockets are seldom used nova
/ days because most stores are so carfuIly
watched that professional shoplifters
! are perfOrce cOntented with smaller
daily hauls than formerly. Besides,
modern fashions do not permit of the
safe gathering Of much bulk about
/ the person of the shoplifters.
Among the tricks that lave been
adopted since the big pockets became
| obsolete are palming and sleeve work.
SIKH is easily acquired in these, and,
/ besides, the trick is hard to discover.
! Palming consists in taking several
small articles up together in the hand
and then replacing all but one on the
| counter. The article retained is held
in the palm of the hand, which is part
ly closed to grasp it.
Great proficiency is soon acquired by
woman with flexible hands, he declar-
ed, and some of them can hold a gold
pin, ring, or other small article safely
in this way, yet give the back of their
hand and their fingers the appearance
of being unbent. Palming is much
practiced at the big jewelry stores as
a means of hiding stolen articles until
a favorable moment is found for dis
posing of them in convenient places
on the person.
The innOcent-iooking black silk bag
or reticule which is nowadays in such
common use is extensively called into
play by amateurs, the detective said.
1t requires no skill whatever to mani
pulate them for shoplifting purposes,
he says. The ShOplifters sits down a.
the jewelry or handkerchief or ribbon
counter and examines the articles dis
played there.
When the salesgirls are busy it is
easy to find an opportunity to push
something over the edge of the counter
in the open mouth of the bag, which is
held in the lap. When satisfied that no
more can be taken without arousing
suspicion the shoplifter arises, takes
hold of the gather-stringS Of the bag,
which is drawn togethe, by it's own
weight, and carelessly strOlls off.
On wet days the umbrella trick IS
brought into play. The umbella, which
is always a large One is leaned against
the counter by the operator and serves
as a safe receptacle for whatever
articles opportunity affords for the Cd
orator to rake into it.
In one uptown store a few days ago
a shOplifter who had been working
this trick became very. fearful of dis
COVery and started to leave the store.
1t was raining at the time, and in her
agitation she fOrgetfully hOisted her
umbrella in the doorway, and was at
once enveloped in a shower of handker,
chiefs, ribbons, and spools of colOred
silk. Amateur sh0plifters are also be
coming very sl1illful in secreting arti-
cles under their bOnnets an in their
bosOms.
They do this OH the preteXt of ;lrrang-
ing the garment and often do it success
fully under the eyes Of some sharp
eyed girl detective who if pretending TO
examine goods behind them, but who
cannot see the stolen articles, though
she may be convinced that something
has been concealed.
successful tricks resOrted to by we'll
dressed women" said a detective TO a
New York Morning Journal reporter
is to conceal stolen articles under
their clothes by hitcEing them to their
garters.''
The garter trick" as it IS called was
lately introduced here by an expert
Partisan shoplifter, who had been run
out of France by the police. The CART
ers are made very strong and are
clasped well below the knee. Sewed
to the elastic are q number of small
steel hooks, on which the stolen articles
are hung.
The detective had apprehended The
French woman. he said, arresting her
for her suspicious actions principally, !
and when the girl was searched by girl
detective a gold chain, a pair of sleeve !
buttons en- a card, a silk handkerchief, !
and a length Of valuable lace We're
among the articles found hung 20 her !
carriers ike clothes On 4 line. The |
ring and glove" is another trick which !
has become very popular of late among /
both amateur and professional women |
shoplifters.
1t is usually worked at jewelry stores
where the size Of the article to be stolen |
is in inverse ratio to its price. The !
shoplifters, in working this trick, car
RES a pair of gauntlet gloves in her /,
left hand, so disposing them that the |
wrist opening Of the upper glove is
tapped open like the mouth If q small !