The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-23

Pickpockets plying among Christmas
shoppers In stores aRa on street cars yes
terday afternoon robbed two men and
two women. The four robberies Melted
the thieves an sven 800.
Within an hour after the last theft
information concerning the pickpockets
had been received at police headquarters
and six Central office detectives We're on
the trail It is the belief of the police
that the robberies were committed by two
thieves from some other city.
James S Grove. president and man
ager of the Mount Ida Realty Company
! Inc, suffered the heaviest loss, his wallet
containing S65 and several checks being ex-
tracted from his pocket, while boarding
car. Grove left his Offices at sI7 Thir-
teenth street northwest. and walked 10
tho Washington, Alexandra, and Mount
Vernon Railway Company's station. near
the intersection Of Twelfth and ID
streets northwest.
Finds Wallet Gone.
It was few minutes before 6 o'clock
when Grove mingled with the large
crowd which left the station to board a
car. He was jostled and pushed and re-
members two weIl-dressed men who kept
near him until he boarded the car Once
inside and seated Grove reached for his
wallet to get his ticket. The wallet was
gone.
Grove jumped from the car and hur-
riedly walked TO the First precinct sea
ton to report the theft. AS he entered
/ Q h. oil A a
we'll known resident Of Falls Church. Va.
was leaving. CogsweIl had just reported
that he had been robbed by pickpockets.
He said ne was boarding a car az the
station when he was crowded by two
men. whom he suspected.
Cogswen demonstrated with the men.
accusing them Of rowdyism. They apollo
gized and withdrew, disappearing in the
crowd Cogswell put his hand in his
pocket and found his pocketboot was
missing. II contained 81 AT the police
station Cogswell gave a description OF
the thieves.
Women Victims Excited.
About an hour before Cogswel visited
the station. two women shoppers ap-
peared there and reported they had been
robbed while among the throngs in
stores. The women were much excited,
and were unable TO give the police in
formation which might aid in the appre-
hension OF the pickpockets.
Mrs. William Jeffreys. Of 4s3 H street
northwest, told the police that a purse
containing a S bill had been extracted
from her handbag while in a Seventh
street store She did not discover her
loss until she opened the handbag TO
take out money with which 10 pay for a
purchase.
Mrs. Mary J. Smith. OF 1921 f street
northeast, was the other victim. Her
handbag was opened while she was being
jostied by the throng between the coun-
tiers. and a purse containing 81 was
stolen. She did not see the thieves, and
did not discover her loss until too late
10 assist the store detectives in arresting
them
Reports Stir Police.
The short intervals between the reports
Of the four robbeFies stirred the police
to unusual activity. Every policeman on
street duty in the First precinct. which
covers nearly all OF the shopping dis
tricL was instructed to make every ef-
fort to apprehend the pickpockets
Detectives Burlingame. Weldon, Null
lin, Warren, Cox, and Berman were de-
tailed 10 trace the piekpockets. and word
was sent to the various precincts TO
look out for the thieves.