The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-03-22
SHOP DETECTIVE FORCE,
WATCHES NOT ONLY VISITORS. Rur
ALSO ESTABLISHMENTS HELP.

rests-Unaccountab!e shoplif,in, Cases
AT best never easy, the policing ol
large department stores is, at the busy
season, most complex problem. MOI
only is the task aggravated by the in
creased crowds, but by the infusion OF
strange salespeople .
But the main reason for the tem-
eorary reinforcement of such detective
STAINS is to afford a warning to the pro-
tesslonal .shoplifters who flock to the
big cities at such opportune times. The
hnoWledge that certain store is bet
Ter equipped in it's detective bureau
than another serves as a most effectual
deterrent. and therein lies the chief
6eneft of such a bureau
Though normally four or five officers
seem to suffice, at rush times the total
exceeds thirty.
Harry Blades, chief Of that bureau in
famous New York department store,
when seen the other day by an Econo-
mist man, talked Interestingly of his
department and the way it was run.
We have now," said he, about 80
detectives on our roll, of whom four
are women. Our regular force doesn't
exceed four or five, but is reinforced
'or the holidays from a waiting list
al tried and true men.
mo, we don't recruit from police
headquarters, or, rarely ever. We are
after people with the detective in
'tinct, hail whence they may.
One of the best detectives was once
l salesgirl at the fancy goods counter.
She gave our sleuths so many excel
.ent clues as to suspicious shoppers
,lues that were successfully followed
hat we persuaded her to join our staff
And we made no error. She has more
han fulfilled our expectations. You
see she had it in her. and needed no
Mulberry street training to bring it
out.
"As rule, however, women are not
20 good at ferreting out crime as men.
They are also timid, fearing violence if
necessary to arrest. But where the
:lue is given a woman can shadow a
suspect better than man, seeing that
she can worm in and out, and is less
in doing so. A man looks
,ut of place at a bargain counter.
"One of our greatest troubles, with
lew detectives: continued Mr. Blades,
is overzealousuess. They imagine that
hey are not making a showing-not
earning their salary-unless constant
y dragging offenders up to the office.
SO anxious are they. to show results
hat they are apt to overdo.
:, They probably look at 1t this way:
r am only here for the holiday season,
lnless l can show special aptitude, to
rove which l must succeed in making
| big trapping.
.4-v-,,5- 1re men
positive instructions never to make an
lrrest without calling one Of my old
taft for consultation. AS to the best
,olicy to be pursued when woman Is
aught opinions differ. The method we
,ursueis this:
whenever a professional shoplifter
S caught red-handed we invariably
prosecute In order to deter others.
otherwise we use discretion.
r.Some of the cases Of shoplift-
ny a rifehave come to my notice dur
tective bureau. connection with store
,licable. To this very oat- our new
brought wives of prominent mere. .peen
Wall street brokers and men Of like
,tanding in the community-women
who have been caught in the very act
If secreting goods on their persons.
ION investigation these women al
most invariably proved to be victims
If the morphine or laudanum habit,
he drug rendering them almost ire
ponsible. Now, what should We gain
n exposing such a case, thereby ruin
ng a reputation for all time?
Nor do We expose cases of theft by
.eally INDECENT people, when we are
assured they are not professionals.
No good end can be served by such ex-
,osure. Moreover, it would be a bad
I'd. for the house, for such cases would
.eceive extended newspaper comment.
% the detriment Of the firm exposing
he culpri<s
Lack OF harmony, continued Mr..
Blades, 'is another point to be guard
id against in the management OF de-
tective bureau. Many Of our new
men are inclined to throw the bluff
hat they are the whole thing. They
lid it all. l discourage .hat sort of
hing.
IF any good piece of work is done
the store in that direction, the de-
! ectiye bureau receives credit therefor.
rot an individual officer. All must work
n harmony. l instruct them to be re-
ceptiye to hints from any and all
sources. And even if they find certain
.lues unreliable, not to discourage the
,ffering of them. Though wrong once,
hey might be right again.
professional jealousy is also to be
ruarded against. What any one OF
70 NAV have learned about a certain
,,se the rest are entitled to know. In
formation so obtained is not for any
Individuals benefit, but for that OF the
,ureau Hence there is nothing to be
| m ottomn4 to 'hI1! glory.