The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-13
STEALING IN sTOREs.
The Ingenuity vtat Is Shown by the
Woman Thief.


As numerous as they are ingenious
are the tricks OF the modern shoplift-
ers. declare store detectives. II keeps
the detectives busy to get on" to the
i. devices OF the men and women who
live by their wits In stealing from
stores. For tricks that are canny few
classes Of criminals. II In said. ap-
proach them. ft
The method Of stealing by using
the satchei with . false bottom is one
OF the cleverest OF the tricks.
Wen disguised. the shoplifter en-
l ters store. Her eyes run over the
counters. she percsives the object
she wants--usually sometimes small
and valuable. sometimes a purse
cus'omer has left lying ON the coun-
ter. le
Over the object the hopIifter places
her satchel. Pretending to delve into
>he satchei to extract a purse or
: handksrchief. the theft lifts false
bottom TO the bss. reaches under II.
draw inside the desired article. ad-
5usts the false bottom. closes the
satchsl and walks away.
~But this II only one Of many clev-
)er ruses employed" declared de-
ssctive the other day. ''rhs woman
especially are ingenious. Their dress.
of 6burse. helps them.
"one Of the methods Of stealing IL
for the shoplifter to have . slit In her
I drsss near the belt Az she stands
near the counter she can deftly Sc o
the article desired. be II . piece of
lace or costly fabric OF bit OF jew
elfy. and slip u into the skirt. The
folds Of the skirt are voluminous and
conceal the thing stolen. /.
"Soms tricks are successful because
Z , their simplicity. A fashionably
dressed woman may walk into the
clothinG department. look over coat
suits. pick up one. fold Il neatly up.
place II under her coat and walk
away.
IF she u detected she viii indig-
fnpntly declare that she bought the
Ut some time before and that she
, haa brought II back to be altered.
''0r = woman, her hands glittering
with rinss and dressed In the latest
seyis. may walk into the store some
winter day. she wears only rich
'qeef of dark fabric. f.
In tAe coat department she viii
~ 20 ses some fur lined coats. Oh.
ne = very particular ad tries on one
1loQr another. Other customers come
op and the saleslady gets busy with
}hcra white madam Is trying TO suit
A<-ssit
>vhi'c the saleslady Is turned she
putI on one OF the richest sable trim-'
sst coats. turns on her heel ami
tollts away. Perhaps the salessiri
naJ not notice the loss until there ID
- s.ooount OF stock.
x11Neh month from nifty TO sixty, ar
5ks are made In the average large
dops,rtmsnt store. The detectives
nust b extremely careful. for false
o>ArEe would precipitate suit for
damages. which would mean many
thousands.
<<<sertaIn departments hold especial
Is for shopliftsrs. The jewelty de-
paFtment II invariably guarded. When
ne surs come In we have sleuths who
heer their eyes open for the woman
who likes to take fur to the window
I 20 examine II. then running for the
door; the woman with the false skirt
- the woman who puts fur on
M audiciously walks away" f.
Although the sales departments
and the detective departments work
together. there exists between them
spirit OF justihabie rivalry. II
cctective perceives some one getting
a1hay with goods II casts discredit on
~ person behind the counter from
which the goods were stolen. There
fore the sales folk keep an alert
watch for shopllfters. M
One might imagine that goods are
du4ved pellmeli on the counters of
a. fig stores. As matter of fact.
the efficient saleslady will have every
thing 90 arranged that she will notice
the Disappearance of an article almost
Immediately.
III q saieswoman suspects a person
shHaimmediately notifies the head de-
t}yove. IL II is woman. woman
detective is usually put on the Job. 1t
N ssid store managers usually ind
women more efficient than men.
Eax arresfs are evar made I'm tho