The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-06-09
.lEIIDIME MS lNEI!S
From Watching Others They
Degenerate Into ShopliiteTs.
DIFHcULT T0 DEIEcI

Woman Employed N One HOUSE
Fifteea Years Stole Fnrs Amount
Jnn u rive Tfousand polistt
lhstanee IL Which They Worked
in eaaue WithsNotsd creoks
some d the eleyerest shoptitteIE5ssj
are women detectives; From Esstelt,
Ing tke adrolt work Of others tfe 4
develop an expert knowledge that
makes II difachlt ior them to DC.
caught. For added 10 the cunning ~
the petty thief they have the train.
Ing and confidence d e9perien cea de'
lectiyes thas makes lsem the most
dangerous crooks the department
stores have 10 contend with: ~ one 81
Of the large stores, where recently,
three 81 these shopliftfng detectives
nave been caught the chief Of tae
detective force tells some interest,"
mig details about their operate \
aone Of the cleVerest games ever
saw worked by q woman detective
was put through after Il had emf
5pleyed her on my force. She was =
remarkably bright woman, cultured
and at one time had been wealthy,
she told me. | was impressed ny
her Intelligence and brightness and
determined 10 give her the first va.
caucy ON the stan
,'she had done excellent scouting
for about a week, when one day !
was sent for hurrledly by floor
walker, who said that he had seen
a styllshly gownd woman take Q big
roll of expensive handmade lace,
tuck, It in her bag and walk to an.
other counter. Together we hasten,
ed to the aisle where he had seen
the shopiifter disappear, and there,
to my surprise. he pointed out the
woman detective ! had Just put on
the force.
II supposed she was doing It for
a Joke and gave the matter no fur.
ther thought until she came in to say
good night and did not mention the
Incident of the lace. AS she start.
ed out / told her l would walk home
with her because I wanted to talk
about her work, and she courteously
invited me to accompany her. When
we reached her house she invited me
to 90 In, and as ! had determined
to know what she had done with the
lace followed. We discussed the
best ways Of detecting thefts and
what she should do once she landed
a shoplifter. t =
Later on she asked Il ] thought
the store where we wore employed
would exchange a hat that she Dougnt
is ,another shop, because she didn't
want to go to the other store now
she was a detective. suggested
she let me see the bonnet, and 70 my
surprise discoyered'lt was one worth
at least $50. I hold her that they
would undoubtedly give Der credit
Or exchange such an expensive piece
Of headgear II she went to them.
"0ut Of another bundle she tookia
costly fur coat which she said was
the gift Of a friend. In the mean
time she opened the package with
the lace and when l had an oppor.
tualty tookit out, put it in my coat
and left a few minutes later, con-
WINGED that she was one OF the cley.
crest shoplifters Thad ever met. The
next day when she reported for
work / told her that her services
were no longer needed.
How long another woman detective
had been helping d pretty friend TO
steal from the storeiI do not know,
but once when was looking over
the force and watching their meth
dds Of working, | saw her have a
whispered conversation with woman,
who hastily showed her an expensive
silver purse and then tucked 1t in q
bag and Hurried out Of tho store /
wanted to be sure there was no nils.
!, take and detailed a man to watch
her movements. After one day dc
watching he reported that she was
working in with two women shoplIft.
crs who were doing big business in
the store. 4.
after working in the store as de;
tectiye for fifteen years another
woman developed into a shopiifter
and became q very clever one. Furs
were her specially aud suppose she
stole at least $4,000 worth before she
was discovered. She would ask for
q day OF and come into the shop
heavily yelled and make straight for
the fur counters. There giving an as.
sumed name she would try onl wraps,
coats and all kinds Of furs, telling
the shop girls that she would surely
buy the next time she came In. Once
she was seen taking an expensive
fur collar. but realizing that she was
followed, dropped It and disapearedin
the crowd before she could be caught,
A few weeks later she WIS seen tax.
ing d fur coat and captured Just as
she was sliding itiinto suit case,
There WAS consternatlon In the store