The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-12-23
SH0PLIFTERS IN THE CITY
FURS TO THE T-tLUE OF $500 STOLEN
FROM Il CHAPEL STREET STORE.

Suspicious Actions of Two Women In a
Large Dry Goods Store Yesterday-De-
tcctive Cowles Looking for Two Pro-
fessionals--The Pair of Many Costumes
No Arrests Yet Made.
AT this season of the year, when all
the large stores are crowded with buy
ers of holiday goods and when these
goods are placed in positions conven-
lent for shoppers to inspect them, great
opportunities are offered to adroit and
skillful thieves and kleptomaniacs to
do a thriving business at shoplifting.
Anticipating that persons with de-
sire to get choice holiday articles with
out buying them might take advantage
of the opportunities offered at this time,
special vigilance has been exercised for
some time by the police and by propre-
tors of large stores in New Haven.
Usually during the holidays profess
sional shoplifters come to New Haven
and frequently ply their trade with
success. 1t seems that this year has
been no exception.
Yesterday forenoon two tolerably
we'll dressed women entered one of our
largest stores and strolled about exam
ing the stock, but making no purchases,
They attracted attention by their loud
talk and other evidences of lack of re-
finement. They not only looked over
goods down stairs burt also went up
stairs and looked around extensively,
and something about them aroused the
suspicion of the proprietors, who had
a close watch placed on them while
| they were in the store.
They finally left without being caught
at pilfering, but later in the day return
ed, each dressed in an entirely different
costume from the first she wore on the
first visit. After walking about and re-
peating the performance of the fore
noon they again left, only to reappear
still later wearing different apparel
from that worn on the two previous
visits This last time the suspicious Of
the proprietor became more aroused on
account of the frequent visits, each
time in different costumes.
Tney were not caught stealing at
any of their appearances in the store.
ana after their last departure an inyes-i
t1gat1on was made, which resulted in
f1nding nothing missing, except few
articles of small value, such as small
cases of perfumery, which We're easily
slipped in the pocket
| Late yesterday afternoon Detective
Cowles visited several of the large
stores with descriptions of two women
suspected of being shoplifters, for
whom he was looking, but the descrip-
tions he gave did not tally with that
of the two women above spoken Of,
these latter being smaller than the
women described by the detective.
The work of the shoplifters has not.
however, been SO futile as was that of
the two of many costumes A Chapel
street fur store was visited Saturday
evening and 1T is thought by the pro-
prietors that two valuable fur articles
were stolen that evening Since then
other goods have been taken, the total
loss being about $3.50. 1t is thought
that in the hurry of business the thief
or thieves who were probably looking
over goods, secreted the articles At
the store mentioned there is an en-
trance on another street, and it is
thought by those employed at the
store that the thief after securilg the
furs slipped out this door unseen.
Whether the thief was q man or wo-
man is not known.
The matter was put in the hands OF
the police, who have clues but no ar
rests have yet been made.