New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-03
WOMAN STORE DETECTIVE
NEEDS WIT AND PATIENCE
One Who Climbed from the Cashiers Cage Tells
Some Of Her Present Duties and the !
Peculiarities Of Shoplifters.
By Isabel Stephen.

Amelia DE S3Etl@, VINO ido NV
lion of being the cleycrest store detecu''
i'm America started her business 'are'
ike MANY other thousands OF little sHi''
in one OF the high cashiers cages that
dot our big department stores. no" sue
scared out # this eyrie AT the age 81 SIN
rccn and started on her present very ~
crative career win BE- % interest 10 many
The -Inploymeut departments 81 stores
are deugcd with applications Tor the
nos, Of detective bv many women who,
without training OF any kind. believe that
they are fitted 10 sauntcr about stoI"
AMI nab lieht-fnGcred visitors. True. th'
stores are on the outlook for bright ne
tcctivcs al the time. and are wililhS -
pay large salaries FOR them. bat although
many are called few are chosen to gamer
the plums Of the profession.
Miss De SAINTS tells her story quite
simply. She SAYS:
Il was born At No. IA East 18th street
New York CITY. ana entered one Of the
big dopaIt,ncut stores when was fifteen.
had a position as cashier. ana from my
high cage could see all mat was u'"ie
On the hoor I liked To study the pooP'o
at first. and was amused at the H'''o
panorama that was COINS on oeio" nv
Gradually. as my eyes got accustomed u
Tie SETTLING mass of people. they p't"'
to distinguish individuals. Now ana theh
,,ould So. man or woman plck UP
something and alp away from the counter
with IT, and I used TO report these 'uIH79
IA III. floor detective, VINO was man
conc dav the superintendent OF the
.,ore sent for me. Naturally. ! expected
- no commanded FOR something and was
may all the way 10 the Office. seatch-
ing my mind for mistakes | might nave
mad, The superintendent was very
august parsonage 10 me, a niue el'I III
short skirts and big bow holding Dach
my hair. which still hung down my oach'
Resides ne was looking very severe ana
tboughtful when entered the once.
".uov would you like to try detective
work Miss De Saints he asked me.
Gould hardly answer FOR jog. II was IN"
dearest wish or my life. The detective on
,.o..r eoor has reported the help you have
L.,n giving hita' ne continued. 50 am
goiug 20 give YOU trial come BACK TO-
morrcw in long skirt and put your hAH
up
",rhat.s how started up my ladder 20
success loved the work. and when you
are determined 10 get on in Work YOU IKE
uobol,. can keep YOU back: you must sue
coed Managers Of different stores near"
,f r.v work and made offers Tor my
s.r,..s bidding one against the other
r.,st wear was engaged by Ills store
and 20 have reached the top oi t"e
ladder I'm this branch Of detectiN" Work.
Gin detective work of this kind YOU can
po, succeed unless yoa have tn" peculiar
irstipct born i'm you. Il j. your place To
guard hundreds OF thousands 81 d"lials
worth OF goods and YOU have 10 cover =
arg. area Of the store. yet cannot Keep
rushing around with 4 am detective
written an over YOU. You mist inst'"c-
,iv..ly pick out suspicious persons ana see
what they are about
..rhe detective must possess inhnite
patience while on the outlook; she must
not leap before she is sure. An unior'N-
nate arrest IL severe blow 20 h'r en-
Movers. When sine is sure she must act
uuickIy and docisivolv to secure hei th''I
ri. greatest tact and n.mbleness o. VII
arr. necessary TO parry the excuses given
h.~. the feign.d faintins fits that bid FOR
-ympathy from the crowd ana the
strong determined Efforts which are natn-
rally made To get away. She must get
nor siN-foot thief as well "A the weak
uurcsistng amateur. AMI To 40 TINS re-
auros determination.
"Of course. a detective cannot arrest
thief i'm the store and on tho street the
shopIifter has much better chance To
make a getaway have run two blocks
after my man. blowing my police whistle
ike mad. and nave never lost thiei
vet
we seldom arrest any one VINO mas
stolen only one thing. Such Offenders are
usually amateurs and the article - oIdI-
uarily q stickpin or something when
vanity prompted the person 10 take. but
If the snopliftcrs return and take more
than on. thing. then We arrest them. we
take them to the chief detectives office
and search them II they plead poverty
or Illness We let them so. after obtaining
"A sign.d confession from them. II is not
true that big stores forgive rich customers
who are thieves. for that u what so
called hlcptomaniacs really are. Stolen
sweets appeal TO many persons. Bis
stores do not want kleptomaniacs. No
matter how rich they are. they are re-
oucsted not to return 70 the store
The modern professional shop thieves