Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-08-25

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. II keeps
the detectives busy TO get on TO the
devices or the men and women who
live by their wits I'm 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
satchei with false bottom Is one OF
the cleverest OF the tricks.
Well disguised. the shoplIfter enters
store. Her eyes run over the conn
ters- She perceives the object she
enthusiastically something small and
valuable, sometimes purse custom
er mas left lying on the counter.
over the object the shopllfter places
her satchel- Pretending to delve into
the satchel 20 extract a purse or hand
kerchief. the thief lifts a false bottom
IN the bag, reaches under II, 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. The women especially
are ingenious. Their dress. OF course.
helps them.
one % the methods OF stealing Is
Tor the shoplifter To have slit IA her
dress near the belt. As she stands nea
the counter she can deity rize the
article desired. Ice IL Il piece of lace
or costly fabric or bit Of jewelry.
and slip Il into the skirt. The folds of
the skirt are voluminous and conceal
the thing stolen.
Some tricks are successful because
OF their simplicity 4 fashionably
dressed woman may walk into the
clothing department. look over coat
suits, pick up one. fold Il neatly up.
place il under her coat and walk
away.
III she is detected she will indig-
nantly declare that she bought the suit
some time before and that she has
brought IL back TO be altered.
"Or woman. her hands glltterinG
with rings aud dressed In the latest
style. may walk into the store some
winter day. She wears only n rich
coat OF dark fabric.
I'm the coat department she will ask
10 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 10 sixty ar.
rests are made In the average large
department store. The detectives must
be extremely careful. for a false charge
would prccipitate a suit for damages.
which would mean many thousands.
Certain departments hold especial
lures FOR shopliftcrs. The jewelry de.
partment is invariably guarded When
the furs come I'm we have Seuths who
keep their eyes open FOR the woman
who likes 10 take fur 10 the window
10 examine IL. 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 Il
spirit 81 juStiGable rivalry II n de
tectivr prrceiVrs some one getting
away with goods 10 casts discredii 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
tile big stores. AS n matter OF fact. the
efficient SaleSlady will have everything
SO arranged that she will notice the
disappearance OF an article almost i'm
mediately
Ii Saleswoman suspects person
she Immediately notifies the head de
tective. II IL is a woman. n woman
detective is usually put on the job II
is said store managers usually find
women more efficient than men.
Few arrests are ever made in the
stores. rs an arrest gives only unde-
sirable publicity. The detective usual.
ly follows suspected persons from the
store and arrests him or her outside.
Ii Is said that arrests for shoplifting
in New York exceed 5000 Il year. In
that city a full description of all shop
lifterS caught are sent 10 the Retail
Dry Goods association. which in turn
distributes the information TO the va
rious members
Only by concerted action and with
highly organized STATS Of detectives
can the stores cope with the Ingenious
shoplifters.
The detective system Of the big
stores. however. is now so perfect
that II is dangerous TO attempt shop
lifting Even the clevereSt shOplifter
faces u long jail term In the pursuit OF
her nefarious work
More than that. II shoplifter for
any reason should escape paying the