Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-20
Secret Circulars Sent.

has sent secret circulars to proprietors
of business houses advising them of GER
tain precautions they should take to pro-
tect their patrons from the operations of
the light-fingered gentry. The Informal
ton contained in the circular has been
impaired to persons employed in the
stores and Maj Sylvester thinks it pos
sible to prevent successful raids by dis
honest persons il his advice is followed.
The chief of police has ordered an
extra detail of policemen in the business
section during the holiday season. Mem
bers of the detective force have been
notihd to remain on the job until the
closing hour, and the merchants have
forces OF their own to watch for persons
who have a habit of helping themselves
to goods displayed on counters without
going through the formality of settling
with the cashier, so that the shoppers and
dealers probably have better protection
than heretofore.
f1oorwalkers (and there are many of
them) act as detectives. They are con-
tinually on the move and are able to de-
tect and watch persons whose conduct
indicates they are looking for plumber
Extra Police Precautions.
Along Pennsylvania avenue, F, q and
9th streets many policemen and detec-
tives are in evidence and they will con-
tinue to be on hand until the close of
the holiday shopping season. They are
charged with the duty of protecting the
shoppers and to prevent street annoy
ances, and, it is stated by the police,
they ought to be able to prevent rob
berries on the streets.
There was a time when beggars were
ed thoroughfares to ask assistance. 1t
was found that some of them only pre-
tended they were lame or blind for the
purpose of robbing pedestrians and thu
practice was stopped. Occasionally a
stranger appeared on the streets selling
trinkets for no purpose other than tt
steal. the police state and it now is tn,
policy of Maj. Sylvester to keep such
persons from the crowded streets.
Christmas shoppers. Maj. Sylvester
says, have not been annoyed to any
great extent by professional pickpockets
! We really have none of the profes-
SIGNALS here now commented the police
/ chief.
| Mai. Sylvester says ii is the careless
| shopper who is most likely to meet with
/ losses during the rush season, and should
| shoppers exercise a little care and judg
| ment he says, none need be robbed. II
| is the experience of the police that most
| persons VINO meet with losses in stores
| during the Christmas shopping season are
| those who do not take proper care OF
their money, but carelessly leave it on a
counter while they go from place to place
1 examining goods.
There are some dishonest persons who
4 go shopping" which is explained by the
police to mean those who make the
| rounds of the stores without any cast
and who are always looking for u pocket
book or handbag left on a counter by q
/ thoughtless careless shopper Then
again, the police say, the sight of q
| pocketbook on a counter means a tempta-
/ ton which some heretofore honest per
/ son is unable to resist.
Not only is it in and about the stores
| that the police are kept busy at this
\ season, but the crowded markets prove
/ an attraction to many who are anxious
/ to get something for nothing, and extra
| details OF policemen are made to proven,
| wholesale thefts at such places