Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-04
THIEVES ARE ACTIVE.
Several Brands of Crime With
in TWenty-Four Hours.
ORGANIZED GANGS AT WORK
Pocket Picking, Burglary and Film
Tanning Reported to Police.
FOURTEEN SEPARATE CASES
Losses Include Pair Of Diamond
Earrings, Valued at $1,000,
and Money.
ORGANIZED GANGS AT WORK
FOURTEEN SEPARATE CASES

Fourteen cases in which pocket picking.
burglary and attempted burglary, bicycle
thefts and Short change" work were
charged have been reported to the police
within the last twenty-four hours. and
the authorities are Of the opinion that two
or more organized gangs Of thieves are
operating In and about Washington.
Three women were victims OF pickpock-
cts In downtown stores yesterday after
noon within short distance of each 9TH
err and within time SO brief as to make
it practically certain the same thieves did
all the work. Mrs. Emma Rubel, 1872 18th
street northwest, while shopping, was
robbed Of six diamond rings. a pair Of
diamond earrings, valued at $1,000. and
$40 in cash. Mrs. Minnie Musselman, $40
Pennsylvania avenue southeast, had $39
in cash stolen from her handbag, and
Mrs. M. d. Dawson of Linden. Md. was
relieved of combination pocketbook and
card case containing $31.
Circumstances Similar.
These three cases were reported to the
police within about an hour. In each in
stance the loser said she had observed
>two suspicious-looking women in the
stores where the thefts occurred, and
those who were robbed reported that the
thefts had been accomplished in the same
manner, by opening handbags and ex-
tracing the money and the valuables.
Flimfammers defrauded the cashier OF
w. D. Richardson's drug store, Rhode
Island avenue and 14th street northwest,
last night, securing so, through the old
change racket" The police were told
that two men asked the cashier for two
ten-dollar bills for twenty and were ac-
commodated. Later, the same men re-
turned and asked for ten one-dollar bills
for one Of the ten-dollar bills.
The cashier counted out the ten ones,
the men picked them up and left, and
when they were gone the cashier discov-
with them. Good descriptions OF the men
were furnished.
Work Of Burglars.
Burglars tried to enter the residence OF
Surgeon General Stokes. in Bradley lane.
near the Chevy Chase Club, shortly after
midnight The providers made enough
noise to awaken the occupants Of the
house and were frightened OF.
A short time after the attempt to enter
the Stokes home burglars. supposed to be
the same ones, broke into the home of
George 8. Rees. 33d and Rittenhouse
streets. Pinehurst. ransacking the refrig-
orator and the drawers of cabinet, but
failing to find anything of value.
J. E. Troth. living at 6205 Florida
street, Chevy Chase. reported to the po-
lice that burglars broke into his house
last night and got away with his watch,
two two-dollar-and-a-half gold pieces, a
gold dollar and baby ring. Entrance to
the three houses, all in the vicinity OF
Chevy Chase, was gained in the same
manner.
A negro woman is believed by Horace L.
Wilcox. 1905 Euclid street. to have taken
he was stopped on the street about q
block from his home, and asked for
money He said he gave the applicant, g.
woman, % cents, and later found his
watch had vanished from his pocket.
Duplicate Keys Used.
Sam Fusco. a barber, living at 204 9th
street northeast, reported to the police
this morning that duplicate key worker
entered his shop in the Congressional
apartments last night and got away with
IS in cash, eight razors and a pair Of
scissors.
L. III. Slocum. 416 r street northeast,
turned over to the police this morning
pair of tan shoes that some intruder left
o'clock last night and o'clock this morn
ing duplicate key was used, but moth
ing was missing.
The police today received reports of
thefts of bicycles from Forrest w. Allen,
1852 18th street northwest; Tullia Haw-
kins, SO4 Sd street southeast; E. E. Monk,
141O Columbia road: Roy Ridgely, 1909 G
street southwest, and ]. w. McDevttt, 9l2
21st street northwest.