The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-09-08
STEALING IN STORES,
The Ingenuity That Is Shown by
the Woman Thief.
TRICKS OF THE SH0PLIFTER.
The Satehel With False Bottom and
the Slit In the Dress Near the Belt.
Some Schemes Successful Because Of
Their Very Simplicity.

hAt Aht Alhh No VI llt iiltutl u SluDtllt-
ers. declare store detectives. 1t 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, APP
proach them.
The method of stealing by using the
satchel with a false bottom is one of
the cleverest of the tricks.
Well disguised. the shcpliftcr enters
n store. Her eyes run over the coun-
ters. She perceives the object she
enthusiastically something small and
valuable. sometimes Il purse custom
rr has left lying on the counter
Over the object the shoplifter places
her satchel. Pretending to delve into
the satchel to extract a purse or hand
kerchief. the thief lifts false bottom
In the bag. reaches under it. draws in
side the desired article. adjusts the
false bottom. closes the satchel and
walks away.
Put this is only one of many clever
ruses employed" declared a detective
the other day. The women especially
are ingenious Their dress, of course,
helps them.
One Of the methods of stealing IL
for the shoplfrer to have Il 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
~ I.. o. Vi. -
and slip 1t into the skirt. The folds Of
the skirt are voluminous and conceal
the thing stolen.
Some tricks are successful because
OF their simplicity. \ fashionably
dressed woman may walk into the
suits. pick up one. fold it neatly up.
place it under her coat and walk
away.
IF she is detected she will indig
nan!ly declare that she bought the suit
some time before and that she has
brought 1t back 10 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 a rich
coat Of dark fabric
in the coat department she will ask
to see some fur lined coats. Oh. she is
very particular and tries on one after
another. Other customers come up. aud
the salesady gets busy with them
while madam is trying to suit herself
while The saeslady is turned she
puts on one OF the richest sable trim
med coats. turns on her heel and
walks away Perhaps the sacsgirl
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 fo- damages,
which would mean many thousands,
Certain departments hold especial
lures for shoplifters. The jewelry de
partment is invariably guarded. When
the furs come in we have Sleuths who
keep their eyes open for the woman
who likes Ia take Il fur 10 the window
to examine II. then running for the
door: the woman with the false skirt
and the woman who puts II fur Oh and
audaciuusly walks away"
Although the sales departments and
the detective departments work to-
gether. there exists between them n
spirit Of unsuitable rivalry. If de
tective prrceives some one getting
away with goods it casts discrrdil on
the person behind the counter from
which the goods were stolen. There
fore the sales foil; keep IN alert watch
for shoplifirrs.
One might Imagine that goods are
dumped prilmcll on the counters of
the big stores. As Il matter of fact. the
saIcS'ady will have everything
So arranged that she will notice the
of an article alMuSt i'm
mcGiately.
II SaleSwumnn suspects ~ person
she Immediately notifies tn" head de
tcctivr. II it Is woman. Il Woman
detective is usually pvt on the job 1t
is said store managers usually lind
women more efficient than men.
Few arrests are ever made in the
stores as an arrest gives only undr-
sirah'n publicity The detective uSnal-
~ follows suspected persons from the
store ana arrests him or her outside.
II is said Tint arrests for Shoplifting
in New York exceed 1900 II year. In
that city Il full description of all shop
llfters caught are sent to the Retail
Dry Goods association. which I'm uru
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
shopllfters.
The detective system of the big
stores. however. is now so perfect
that 1t Is dangerous ITO attempt shop
lifting. Even the cleverest shoplifter
faces a long jail term in the pursuit Of
her nefarious work.
More than that. II a shopifter for,
any reason should escape paying the
penalty of crime in one city she may
not he so fortunate In another De-
scriptions of all suspected persons are