Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-11-03
STORE DETECTIVES NOW Wise
SIeuths and Clerks Cooperate to Stop
Thefts and Professionals Find
Work Becoming too Dangerous.


those who guard the stocks Of the big
stores of Hartford against loss from
shoplifters Every store has its sys'
TEN of self-protection and the manag
ers of all the large stores there believe
that the shoplifter meets with little
success in Hartford. Then, too, Hart
ford merchants are not troubled as
much-in proportion-from shoplifters
as are the merchants in many other
cities.
There is not a minute in the day,
however, when the stocks of the big
stores here are left unguarded. One
store has two detectives at work on
the floor all the time, instructed to
inform the store superintendent of any.
thing suspicious. The floorwalkers
have similar instructions. Another
store depends entirely upon its floor
walkers to look out for attempts to
steal merchandise but employs an ex'
ira large number of tioorwalkers to
meet the situation. Other stores, rely
upon the clerks to watch for attempts
at shoplifting and report them with
out a moments delay to the floor
walkers. A single detective Is used in
some places and at least one store EN-.
ploys a woman detective at certain
rush seasons. At Christmas time de-
tectives from the police department
are assigned to some of the larger
stores.
There are many more cases of shop
lifting than ever get into the police
court. Occasionally there is an ar
rest for the theft of an article of con-
siderable value, but.the man or woman
caught by clerk, fioorwalker or detec-
tive stealing an article of small value
is usually taken to the store office
and given a general shaking down"
The article generally is paid for and
the person allowed to depart, unless
there is a suspicion that it is not the
first offense Then an effort is made
to get confession, and many times
it is found that the shoplifter has
articles at home, taken on previous
visits to the store.
Protect Store and Customers.
AS soon as a person becomes open
to suspicion as a shOplifter-and not
before-he or she is never left un-
watched when entering the store again.
The first clerk to spot" the crook,
and their faces are known to many
clerks and all the tloorwalkers, tells
another clerk, who, in turn, informs
the floorwalker, and the suspect is
watched until he or she leaves the
store.
At the same time hoorwalkers and
detectives are just as alert to protect
customers from the thief who enters
the store as to protect the store iself.
Some of these crooks will snatch a
purse if given half an opportunity. Not
long ago a woman entered a local de-
partment store and, because of sue
ceeding events, became suspected Of
having stolen customers purse. The
detective got her description and was
watching for her to appear in the store
again, when news was printed in the
Boston newspapers day or two later
that a woman answering the descrip-
for purse.snatching. She was convicted
and sentenced, and when she is re-
leased it is possible that the Hart
ford case may be taken up against her
It is thought that this woman is pro-
fessional and has worked" in several
cities.
Two Cases Of ShopIifters.
Nearly all of the trouble from shop!
lifters is from women. One of the de-
tectives, who is constantly on the
watch for them, told a reporter:
"These enemies of society are d.
yided by those who have to deal with
them in two classes-the profess
sional who thieves to dispose of the
goods that fall to her to some fence
and the woman who appropriates only
articles to which she takes fancy for
her own use We get few of the pro.
fessionals here, but in the large cities
many of the professional shoplifters
are known to the detective attendants,
for many of them have been convicted
of the crime of 'hoisting.' Once con-
victed, her features become matter
of keenest interest to the detective.
"The entrance into store of any
woman shoplfter whose features are
known is telegraphed around by means
of warning signal, and every as
sistant in the place Immediately is on
the qui vive Quickly the visitor be-
comes conscious of chilly atmos-
phere of special attention conferred
upon her. The capacious pockets con-
cealed beneath her beautiful cloak will
receive no spoil. She spends few
moments in examining the articles she
has requested to be shown, declares
there is nothing she likes and sweeps
majestically out of the establishment.
1T is the nonprofessional that the
detective and her employers dread
the well-dressed woman of some social
standing who resolves to lay her hands
on any article she fancies If she only
has favorable opportunity. She has
commenced by surrendering to the
to steal some triflins ar
ticle, has been successful and has per
served in her evil pursuit ever since.