The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-10-28
STEALING IN STORES,
The Ingenuity That Is Shown BY
the Woman Thief.
TRICKS OF THE sHoPLIFTER.
The Satchsi With False Bottom and
the Slit In the Dress Near the Belt.
Some Schemes Successful Because Of
Their Very Simplicity.

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-
ers, 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. II Is said. ap-
preach them.
The method OF stealing by using the
satchel with a false bottom Is one OF
the cleverest Of the tricks.
Well disguised. the shoplifter enters
q store. Her eyes run over the coun-
ters She perceives the object she
wants-usually something small and
valuable, sometimes purse custom
er 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 a false bottom
in the bag. reaches under II. draws In
side the desired article. adjusts tho
false bottom. closes the satchel and
walks away.
.Rut this ID only one OF many clever
ruses employed" declared q detective
the other day. The women especially
are ingenious. Their dress. Of course.
helps them.
Zone OF the methods of stealing Is
| for the shoplifter to have a slit in her
dress near the belt. As she stands near
the counter she can deftly seize the
article desired. be II piece Of lace
or costly fabric or q bit of jewelry.
aud slip II 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 II neatly up.
place il under her coat and walk
away.
III she Is detected she win indig-
nantly declare that she bought the suit
some time before and that. she has
brought II back 10 be altered.
.0r woman. her hands gIttering
with rings aud dressed in the. latest
style. may walk into the store soue
winter day size wears only rich
coal If dark fabric.
I'm the c.rlI department she viii ask
10 see sniue fur lined coais oh. she is
very particular and tries on one after
another. other customers rome IN. and
the sai,Slady gels busy With them
wl.iie niadam Il trying to suit herself
Willie the salpslady Is turned she
pnts IN nnr. ~ The richest sable trim.
med eo;iIs tuFus On her heel and
walks away Perhaps the salesgirl
may MI notice the loss until there l.
an 3rrouni oi sivck
.isarh month from fifty to sixty ar.
rests are uiade In the average large
department store. The detectives mus
be extremely careful. for false charg,
would Iire.-lplfaie a suit for damages
winch would mean many thousands.
.ceriaIn departments bold especial
lures for slippIifiers. The jewelry de
parfnrnI Is Invariably guarded. whsl
the flrs culne IN We have sleufhs whe
keep their eyes open for the wouIaf
who likes To- take fur 60 the window
~ examine u. then running for chs
door: %. woman with the false Skin
and the woulan VIM puts q fur on and
nualacinusly walks away"
Although the sales departments and
ID. d.ta.rivr departments work 10
gpilirr. there exists beiween them
spirit 81 jus;IiiabIe rivalry. n a de
L. live pen.ir,~ souIe one geffln.
away With g,rds II casts dlsrrdit Of
the person behind the counter from
which ID. goods we're stolen. There
fore the sales folk keep an alert watcl
for shoplificrs
tine might Imagine that goods arr
dumI~d I-ilnTIl on the counters o
th- blk stores. A. matter Of fact. fh
eifirismi Sas.Slndy will have sveryfhIn:
so arranged that size viii uotIee tn
di<api~aramr ~ ~ article ainb"si I'm
nlcdialply
ir q SaIs.-woman suspects persol
she Immediately notifies the head de
terfIse. u II l. woman. q womal
detetrive IL usually put on the Job. !
~ slid sfurr managers usually ON
| women more efficient than men.
. Few arrests are ever made In IN
, stores. as an arrest gives only unde
slrabIe publicity. The detective usual
u follows suspected persons from IN
store aud arrests him Or her outside.
~ IL said that arrests for sbopliftinI
in New York exceed 300 O year. u
that city a full description Of all sbor
lifters caught are sent 20 the REM
Dry Goods association. which IN FUR
distributes fhe Information 70 the va
! rious members
Only by suncerfed sctiUD aud wit
highly organized stats Of detective
can the stores cope with the ingeniou
shopliftprs
The detective system of the bi
. stores. however. IL DOW 80 perfee
) that II - dangerous 90 attempt shot
ffsffta Exeo Inc claxere1f efforffffe