The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-12-17
DETECTIVES AS Thieves
From Watching Others They
Degenerate Into Shoplifters.
DIFFICULT 10 DETECT
Woman Employed In One House
Fifteen Years stole Furs Amount
Ing to Five thousand Dollars
Instances In Which They Worked
= In League With Noted crooks.

Some Of the cleverest shoplifters
are women detectives. From watch.
ing the adroit work Of others they
develop an expert knowledge that
makes 1t difficult for them to be
caught. For added to the cunning of
the petty thief. they have the train
ing and confidence of experienced de-
tectives that makes them the most
| dangerous crooks the department
stores have to contend with. In one
OF the large stores, where recently
three of these shoplifting detectives
have been caught, the chief of the
detective force tells some interest
ing details about their operations.
Zone OF the cleverest games | ever
saw worked by woman detective
| was put through after | had EN-.
| ployed her on my force. She was
remarkably bright woman, cultured
and at one time had been wealthy,
she told me. was impressed by
determined to give her the first va.
Cancy on the Stau
"She had done excellent scouting
for about week, when one day l
was sent for hurrledly by floor
walker, who said that he had seen
q stylishly gownd woman take a big
roll OF expensive handmade lace,
tuck 1t in her bag and walk TO an
other counter. Together we hasten
ed to the aisle where he had seen
the shoplifter disappear. and there.
to my surprise. he pointed out the
woman detective had just put on
| the force.
II supposed she was doing II for
Joke and gave the matter no fur
ther thought until she came In to say
good night and did not mention the
incident of the lace. As she start
ed out told her would walk home
with her because | wanted to talk
Nabout her work, and she courteously
invited me to accompany her. When
We reached her house she invited me
to go In, and as I had determined
TO know what she had done with the
lace i followed. We discussed the
best ways OF detecting thefts and
what she should do once she landed
a shoplifter.
Later on she asked IL thought
the store where we were employed
would exchange a hat that she pougnt
is another shop, because she didn't
want to 60 to the other store now
she was detective. suggested
she let me see the bonnet, and to my
surprise discovered II was one worth
at least $780, hold her that they
would undoubtedly give her credit
or exchange such an expensive piece
of headgear IL she went to them.
"Out of another bundle she took
costly fur coat which she said was
the gift of friend. m the mean.
time she opened the package with
the lace, and when I had an oppor-
tunity took It out. put II in my coat
and left few minutes later. con-
vinced that she was one OF the clev-
crest shoplifters had ever met. The
next dey when she reported for
work | told her that her services
were no longer needed.
How long another woman detective
had been helping q pretty friend 10
steal from the store | do not know,
but once when was looking over
tho force and watching their meth
ods Of working. saw her have q
whispered conversation with woman,
who hastily showed her an expensive
silver purse and then tucked It in
bag and hurried out OF tho store.
wanted TO be sure there was no mis-
take and detailed man to watch
her movements, After one day of
watching he reported that she was
working in with two women shoplift.
ers who were doing big business in
the store. a