Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-11-18
Women Of The Lower Glass do
Most Of Petty IheIv|Rg.
DETECTIVE TELLS HOW THEY WORK
Mighty Hard to Catch Them in the
Act of Stealing, Even When tho
Police Arc Almost Positive They
Have Committed Crime.

Please let us have detective
for our autumn sale
That is the kind Of request the
Commissioner of Police has in dor
ems just about this time"
The speaker was IL well.known Lon.
don detective.
Most people imagine the shops
have their own detectives; but this
is very rarely tho ease At such
times they are needed they rely on
the regular detective force For
many years / have done special
duty as it is called, at various sales
III NEST of tho big West END shops.
~ detective in the force. as you
may know, has two holidays in a
mohth-altcrnate Sundays. To go
on special job he has TO sacrifice
one OF his Sundays 10 make up for
the weekday he is away. Such
I Jobs are his own private business ior
which he Is paid by the shop en-,
ploying nina guinea u day and
refrcshment.
| Before a sale all the shop assist,
is coming. Ii is not possible to make
his personality, known to avery assist
ant by Il formal Introduction, 50
word is gwen out that nj: certain
time, he Will walk through the
shop accompanied by the manager.
| In this way he Is recognized, and
any assistant will know where 10
| iind him in ease he is wanted
Suppose, for Example, that an assist
| ant has suspicious Jf Il part!culnr
customer. She goes toward tho spot
where the detective is stationed.
under prctense OF getting abill signed
and let's him know he is wanted. |
Then il is understood that the first
person she addresses when she get. |
back to her place is the suspect
| The detective closely watches her
and draws his own conclusions.
/ The autumn sales OFFER II particu.
| lar good scope 10 the shoplifter,l
because the cold weather enables
her 10 wear her ..g cape, undei
cover OF which she commits het
thefts, MS Il natural course. | eN
pect you know how they works
| They hold up garment or fur II
thcir right hand, and under cover
of ii gently draw tho stolen article ]
lon the counter with their left hand
quickly secretinG 1t under the cape.
sjhopllftcrs generally work III two,
land thrces. They never retain
stolen article. a slight kick of the
foot Is Il signal for the cunfederatl
(next them To take 1t, and SO ii i
}graiually and cleverly passed to
woman who is yards away fron
1.-The counter and could not be accuse,
OF taking anything from Il.
"a shoplfters cape is truly won,
lderful thing, and has rs many p1ck
cts as pcacher's coat. As 500!
as shop thief gets away VII.
stolen property she gets rid of a
quickly rs possible. H3w? Well at 3
receivers During sale times man.
OF these receivers houses are Close
/ " watched Women know. they are ur
der vigilant eyes, and don't attempt 70
go near. They get hold of strea%
urchin. Here Tommy, d'y1u wan
{ TO earn tuppcnce? Then just run
round to Mrs. What.ever-the.namc-isl
1 and tell her lady would like to Sc
her in the Red Lion. The receiver
4 goes there the property change
4 hands, as also does the agreed CASH
i consideration, and Mrs. Receiver i.
& sues lOrtN Will the SItully icuuScti
Z bargains hung on hooks under h.
skirt.
"All the notorious shoplifters are
)perfectly we'll known to us. have
seen them at sales and bazarrj, an
am sure they have gone off viii.
articles at different times, but. O;
course, could do nothing. They muag
be caught in the act. 1t Is amazina
o re how successfully they wort.
!. On the stage and In the Acton tn.
, shopl.ftcr is quite q superior person
IN real life she is the lowest typ
81 woman possible Tley all come
from the East End They are con-
mon in appearance, III manners. liz
everything.
why do you think n shopifteT
would dare so back home with hei
! cape? No net she. She gees to Z
public house. takes 1t off, ami wraps
it up in bundle. just before 4
sale she takes Ii in newsp apei
parcel ana leaves Ii in a cloak roon'
near the b'g West End shops. Before
going into action her little boy OF
girl calls for mothers parcel,S bring
t tc q bar and there f,nm shc
issues in full warpa:nt. seeking what
she may convey That's how it /:
tonc, sir"