The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-25
SHIFTY SHOPLIFTERS
A CUNNING FOLK

"Iifters' remarked the store deteC-
tive, ARE the cleverest and most dar-
Ing criminals alive. Also the most
difficult 70 deal with 'Ldfters.'' Il
should be explained, are better known
10 the general public bv the generic
name Of shoplifters. Tie reason 4
consider them the cIeverest and most
daring continued the detective. is
that they will work, and work success
fully, under the very eyes Of those who
are constantly or the alert for their
offerings LIftcrs usually operate in
couples. One Will come into the store
with the deliberate intention OF Caus-
ing the bull 20 be suspicious OF his
or her movements What IS a 'buu2
I'm bull IN shopufter language.
But L, continue: Having attracted the
attention II the bull by some suspi-
cious movement. the litter viii try 20
lead him a purpCseIess dance all around
the store. coming as near 10 stealing
as possible without actually taking
anything. and s. Turing the detective
on this false trail n order 70 ieaFe
the field open 10 the confederate VINO
follows the dec0y into the store says
the Brooklyn Eagle
beneath the cloak OF one woman s1'd
the bull 1t IS almost CapaciOus
enough 20 inclOse q household lot II -
bag that can he filled one end ana
then reversed and filled the other end.
being kept covered by a litter 5 coat
ali the time When We caught tho
woman who carried this. she had >:
filled with costly stockings and lace
They generally carry a bag OF some
kind beneath their coat. Herr Is
small black one that We took fro m one
litter. II Is. as you see, common az
fair that can be pulled tight al ire
reck by q string She carried this Just
inside Tie opening OF her coat and IN
der the cover Of her muff had been very
busy dropping small articles Of JeWelry
into q when we spotted her Speaking
OF NUTS they are the best friend the
litter has. II is the easiest trick IN
the world 10 rest the muf on the Coun-
ter and engage a salesEirl in converse
tiOn while the hand Is pushed through
The mun and kept At work drawing
articles from the counter into the safe
hiding place or The hand-WaTmer- The
girls behind the counter can scarcely
be expected to have eyes enough 10 see
the lightning-like movements OF the
hand il darts Out Of the muff ana
back again with its stealinSs. and Il
would be necessary 10 employ ar army
corps Of detectives 70 watch tie &C
lions Of all suspected persons IN the
store.
THE triird-hand game is worked re-
pea tedly and Is very diffigIlr TO detect
real hand being hidden beneath her
cape OF cloak. To the transporting ewes
Of the salesgirl or observaut fioOrwalker.
the woman 1T the counter has both
hands in plain view and both are
perfectly still The artificial hand is OF
course. glOVed exactly like the real
hand that il is supposed to be the fellow
10. and as II rests on the counter or is
ClaSped in the other II looks so natural
that detection is almost impossible But
while the inEOcent-looking. neatly
gloved hand, rests in plain sigh the
hand beneath the cloak is reaching for
everything that IS worth stealing and
passing II quickly and easily into the
bag beneath the cloak.
When the litter has made her haul
she rises in a diguiIed manner and
marches of, the hidden hand closely
concealed and the false one looking as
natural as life. A common trick OF the
litter is to walk 20 a mirror TO try on
a skirt, watch her opportunity and es-
cape wearing the skirt. The other day
we arrested a woman who was wearing
no less than six skirts that she had
Clever lifters viii stand at a counter
side by SIDE, One viii reach around
with her hand hidden by the others
coat, pick up articles OF value from the
counter and drop them into the open
bag at the other woman's belt. The
beauty Of this trick is that the one
with the wandering hand is almost in
variably bounced upon. while the woman
with the bag ESCAPES IN the confusion.
Result. arrest. indignant protest
search, nothing found, detective or floor
walker covered With confusion and
chaVrin-
THE suit case trick is another clever
device. The suit case used is bottom
less and is usually carried by crooks
who prOwl around railroad stations
Many careless ira velers leave their suit
cases on the platform or on the floor
OF a waiting room while they purchase
a ticket or seek information at the
bureau window. Along comes the crook
with the bOttomless suit case, drops
the case over the top OF the one that
lies unmatched on the iIJor. Lights a
cigar or does some little stunt 20 con-
vince anyone looking at him that be
merely dropped his own suit case for
such a purpose and when he leaves the
victims suit case goes with him. caught
up inside his bottomless bag Iiftcrs
adopted this plan with success, Their
bottomless grips rest on the counter
and pinch off al kinds OF things that
vanish as though reduced to ether.
while no one sees the going OF them.
One has 10 be very sure before ar-us-
ing a woman OF shcolifting. Even when
we are certain an article was inte7tion-
allv taken. II IS difficult % pro,-e II