The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1903-10-16
LoNOON's SHOPLlFTERs.
Methods Employed by some Of the
stores 10 Avoid Arrests.

Methods Employed by some of the
stores to Avoid Arrests.
Though there Is every appearance In
all the great London shops that the
public iS To- he trusted implicitly, an
elaborate and carefully organized sys-
TEN Of espionage prevails to circum-
vent the designs of the p""iuatctic
thief ana the marauding klcptomanAc
The invisible detective, whose Office
il some uuSuspcctcd gallery in the
ceiling. whence from Hrtfully designed
prcpholcS in the molding he can sur
vcy the whole establishment. Is the
most successful foil to the Shopliltcr.
But there are only II few shops so
struclurHlly designed that surveillance
of this kind Is possible. Some of the
jewelers. treasure palaces are guarded
In this manner, and to make assurance
doubly sure no attendant Is without
his satellite, who keeps wary eye on
the eases of gems exposed to the Gus
TONER'S inspection, standing Ht the
snlcsman's elbow while he Is showing
them.
At all periods n careful watch Is kept
on those dress establishments that are
pcrvadcd by women. but more cspc-
cially at sale time. for II Is then that
covctousnCss ovcrwhclms morality most
easily, and the crowded state of the
shops favors the picker up of unCon-
sidcrcd triilcs. A manager of one of
the largest establishments In the me-
tropolis says II is in those departments
that are not spacious that pilfcrng
principally goes on and that in them
detective supervision Is always most
acute.
Every shOpwnlkcr and counter at
tCndnnt is IN effect detective, but
there are some professionals who as
sumo the guisc to hide their real posi-
tion. II Is the duty of each attendant
when he Is suspicious of n customer to
call the attention of the detective to
her, not blatantly, but by prCarrangcd
sign. The detective then keeps the Sus-
pcct under her immediate eye. In the
| large cmporiums where women chiefly
| congrcgatc the most efficient, because
the least conspicuous, detectives are
women. either employed as shopwalk'
ers or M customers.
When an attendant misses or thinks
he misses something or notices disturb
! ing signs of thievery he speaks to the
detective who, as an elegantly garbcd
customer, seats herself in position
commanding a good view of the sllS
peCt and makes her purchases like any
other woman, all the while gathering
data upon which to proceed. The dis
guisc assumed by the shop detective
differs day by day.
If there be one result less desired by
the shop proprietor than another it Il
to convict klcptomaniac. Prosecutions
do not forward business. The propre
tors policy Is to prevent pilfcring by
every conceivable means Hence blint
eye is turned to what is II theft In em
bryo. and the wretchcd shOpliftel
caught in the act of purloining BLOUSE
under cover OF her waterproof Is asked
whether the article may not be sen
home for her To the bulging umbrella
or the gaping handbag the detective nj
ludcs with an apology, fearing tina
madam has inadvertently incommodeC
herself with something that fell from
the counter
First offenders are often cured b.
narrow escapes such as this from fall
ing into the abyss that leads to TIN
dock and gladly pay for the experience
in coin of the realm as If they had nj
the while meant to purchase instead o
to purlon the goods. Should lenienc.
of such kind fail to lead the trcspaSs
er back into the paths of rectitude tn
managers office is made the scene o
more serious negotiations. on which
Is well to draw the veil But as a rul
It does not.-London Mail.