The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-12-10
STEALING IN STORES,
The Ingenuity That Is Shown by
the Woman Thief.
TRICKS OF THE sH0PLlFTER.

The Satehel With False Bottom and
the Slit In the Dress Near the Belt.
Some Schemes Successful Because Of
Their Very Simplicity.
As numerous as they are ingenious
are the tricks of the modern shoplift-
evs. declare store detectives. It keeps
the detectives busy to get on" to the
devices of the men and women who
live BY their wits in stealing from
stores. For tricks that are canny few
classes Of criminals, it is said, ap-.
proach them.
The method Of stealing by using the
satchel with false bottom is one Of
the cleverest Of the tricks.
Well disguised, the shoplifter enters
a store. Her eyes run over the coun-
tiers. She perceives the object she
Enthusiastically something small and
valuable. sometimes purse custom
err has left lying on the counter.
Over the object the shoplifter places
her satchel. Pretending to delve into
the satchel to extract purse or hand
kerchief. the thief lifts false bottom
in the bag, reaches under 1t, draws In
side the desired article, adjusts the
false bottom, closes the satchel and
walks away.
But this Is only one Of many clever
ruses employed, declared detective
the other day. 'srhe women especially
are ingenious. Their dress, Of course,
helps them.
Zone Of the methods OF stealing is
for the shoplifter to have slit in her
dress near the belt. AS she stands near
the counter she can deity seize the
article desired, be it a piece Of lace
or costly fabric or bit of 1ewelry,
and slip It into the skirt. The folds Of
the skirt are voluminous and conceal
the thing stolen.
Some tricks are successful because
Of their simplicity. A fashionably
dressed woman may walk into the
clothing department, look over coat
suits, pick up one, fold it neatly up,
place it under her coat and walk
away.
If she is detected she viii indig-
nantly declare that she bought the suit
some time before and that she has
brought 1t back to be altered.
Or woman. her hands glittering
with rings and dressed In the latest
style, may walk into the store some,
winter day She wears only rich
coat of dark fabric
"In the coat department she win ask
to see some fur lined coats. Oh. she Is
very particular and tries on one after
another. Other customers come up, and
the saleslady gets busy with them
while madam is trying to suit herself.
While the saleslady Is turned she.
puts on one Of the richest sable trim
med coats. turns on her heel and.
walks away. Perhaps the salesgirl.
may not notice the loss until there is
an account of stock.
Each month from fifty to sixty ar.
rests are made in the average large.
department store. The detectives must.
be extremely careful. for false charge.
would precipitate a suit for damages.
which would mean many thousands.
Certain departments hold especial!
lures for shoplifters. The jewelry de-.
partment IL invariably guarded. When.
the furs come in we have sleuths who.
keep their eyes open for the woman.
who likes to take fur to the window.
to examine it. then running for the.
door; the woman with the false skirt:
and the woman who puts a fur on and.
audaciously walks away"
Although the sales departments and.
the detective departments work to-.
gether, there exists between them a.
spirit OF justiiable rivalry. If a de-.
tective perceives some one getting.
away with goods>it casts discredit on
the person behind the counter from
which the goods were stolen. There
fore the sales folk keep an alert watch,
for shoplifters.
One might imagine that goods are
dumped pellmell on the counters Of.
the big stores. As a matter Of fact. the
efficient saleslady viii have everything
so arranged that, she will notice the
disappearance OF an article almost i'm.
mediately.
II saleswoman. suspects a person,
she Immediately notifies the head. de-.
tective. Ii it is woman, woman.
detective is usually put on the Job. 1t:
rs said store managers usually find.
women more efficient than men.
Few arrests are ever made in the,
stores. as an arrest gives only unde-
sirable publicity. The detective usual
" follows suspected persons from the &.
store and arrests him or her outside.
It Is said that arrests for shoplifting:
In New York exceed 5000 year. In,
that city a full description Of all shop
lifters caught are sent to the Retail
DRY Goods association. which in turn
distributes the information to the va .
riohs members. "
Only by concerted action and witht
highly organized staffs-of detectives
can the stores cone with fho inoaufos,o +,