The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-12-29
sHoPLIFTING.
,,.,s That Are Dark And Tricks That
W." Are Vain.

,u,v. That Are Dark And Tricks That
W." Are Vain.
rs.-. "a no section Of criminals that
,,.n,svs such varied ingenuity ~
ys.pnH Tiit said a clever detective
S ~ hos had a long experience Of the
Paternity; and l can assure you that
n.rv OF them might give lessons In
m ari TO the most arttul Chinee.
ucSnnIifting Is a science that appeals
saw to women. Their sex, to
Win si extent, disarms suspicion,
oosonscIally when, as Is usual, they are
e,Slp~antly dressed, and do their shop
sioS in a well-appointed brougham.
ETbeir dress gives them unlimited
.none for the concealment of small
.rtcles; and again, the game is so
Comparatively free from risk, for if
NOV are caught red-handed, as a rule
!. simply means an awkward inter-
vlAw with the proprietor, and pay
rent for the goods appropriated.
Won see. it does not pay a fashion
0hle shopkeeper to give his house a
nod reputation as a haunt of thieves;
md further, many Of the lady-lifters
GRO women with some standing in So
cietv who are either kleptomaniacs,
or who cannot resist the sudden temp
tation of anneXing pretty thing with
out payment.
Ladies of this class are novices in
tbe art and are readily detected A
common practice with them Is to slip
anv small article from the counter in
IN their umbrellas when the assist
ants back is turned. If detected, it
Is the simplest of accidents, and the
culprit apologies prettily, and re-
stores the article.
One lady who hGd quite long and
successful career at counter-stealing,
was always accompanied by little
girl ostensibly her daughter, carrying
a large doll. The mother, who was
young and pretty, and faultlessly
dressed, would hold the doll while she
was being served Ca very natural and
prudent act with a valuable doll which
the child might drop at any moment);
and when the assistants attention was
withdrawn she would slip into the hol-
low interior of the doll any small
article, from a bottle of scent to an
article of jewelry, that might be ly-
ing near her.
OF course, nearly all city firms en-
ploy women detectives, smartly dress.
ed and of lady-like appearance, who
mix with the crowd of purchasers, and
have a very keen eye indeed for these
populations.
Tn "a trin1-c IF "a 10 eh
much more varied and subtle than
those of his female rival. A very
common practice is to carry a stick or
umbrella with a hollow receptacle at
the top. A spring releases the silver
or gold mounted top; the stolen
article, which must naturally be small
as it is valuable, is slipped into the
padded hollow, and the top sprung
back again into position.
A very skilful thief made hiding
place Of the hollow part of an artificial
forearm into which he could palm an
article with lightning rapidity. One
OF the latest devices is to wear a glove
with a pocket or series of pockets in
the palm; and while examining small
articles of jewelry, rings, brooches,
gold pendants, and so on, to slip one
or more into the concealed pocket by
a practised movement of the fingers.
Another trick Is to carry some ad-
hesive substance In the palm of the
gloves, and by carelessly resting the
palm on an article of jewelry to re-
move it. The opportunities for ex-
erciSing these tricks while the assist
ants back is turned, or while he is
attending to another customer, are
many.
But much shop-lifting is done with
the help of confederate, who strolls
In casually while number one is max
Ing his purchases. One or two valu-
able articles are handed to the second
customer, who is apparently quite a
stranger to number one; and if the
latter Is suspected and searched, of
course, nothing is found in his pos
session. OF till robberies, with smear
cd and hook-ended sticks, of false
alarms which draw the shopkeeper in
pursuit of imaginary thieves, leaving
the real pilferer free to do his work,
and OF the hundred and one other arti.
hces, it would require almost volume
to speak.