The morning times., 1896-08-03
VICTIMS OF LIGHT FINGERS
Pickpockets Operated Merrily on
Saturday Night Crowds.
Market and Depots Were the Fields
- Selected and Yielded a Good
Harvest.

|.oaPickpOckets. and sneak thieves made
haul from the crowds which throDged
Center Market Saturday, and yesterday
morning several Complaints were lodged
with the officials at headquarters by The
victims. The police are of the opinion
that an organized gang Of pickpockets,
whose headquarters are In. South Wash
| ington. are making the practice OF operat-
Ing in the crowded N arkets and depots
| on Saturdays. .s.5,-,.-- .s-i =,
For several weeks past the complaints
have been n.ore numerous than usual and
the central office detectives have come
to the conclusion that band OF thieves
is at work Policemen Herndon, COwne,
Sprinkle, and Sears and Mounted Officers
Sullivan and Hartman, all or whom are
assigned TO the market beat have been
unusual vigilant a nd made large mum Der
OF cases against the thieves. Despite
| their care. however, the robberics Seem
to be on tn eincrease, and tits probable that
several detectives will be called to their
assistance.
On market days b street and the narrow
aisles between the stands in the market
house present'a fine opportunity for the
clever pickpocket The sidewalks and
spaces before the stands are continually
crowded and there Is great deal of push
ing and jostling All this favors the
thief and he is not slow to seize the oppnr-
| tunity-,, The great majority of robberies
are reported by women and they seem TO
be the principal sufferers. Most women
carry their money in very careless
manner and when making purchase very
often placetheir purse on the Counter while
examining the goods This is the thief's
opportunity and of course when the lady
turns to pick up4her property ii has dis
| appeared.
The police are powerless to prevent rob
berries OF this nature as they are only made
| possible by the losers own carelsssncss.
| Between O'Clock and midnight the
| crowds about the market are largest aud
| in passing from stand to stand there is
necessarily II great deal Of jostling. This
helps the pickpocket greatly as his victim
| rarely notices an extra hard push and the
loss OF her pocketboOk is seldom noliced
until she looks for it to pay for a purchase
| and finds it gone. The thief meanwhile
has disappeared In the crowd and there is
| practically no hope of catching him.
| Lie itpuAts NciS hhibt stS
terday: Mrs. II. F. sherIey, No. 2 Second
| street northeast; had her pocket-book, CON-
tanning u SUN of m oney a nd a railroad ticket,
stolen in the market. Mrs. Robert Burns Of
| No. 42s Ninth street southw west. was re-
| lieved OF her purse, continuing S23. Mrs.
Burns is the wife OF Officer Burns. who
is stationed at police headquarters. A
pocket-book, containing $50 and IL railroad
ticket, belonging to Mrs. Ernmert Of No.
926 G street northwest, went the same
road and probably fell into the same hands.
The fourth and last robbery was reported
| by Mr.. John C. Herdernan Of No. ] GSS
| Fifth street northwest. He lost, OF was
relieved Of, wallet, containing ST. 20
and several papers while passing Through
a crowd about the Pennsylvania station
Saturday morning.