New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Orgy
Draws Robbers
To Big Hotels
Organized Band Believed To
Be Preying Upon Visitors
Packing Hostelries and
Scattering Cash Broadcast

Burglars, confidence men and others
of the allied professions are reaping
rich reward from their efforts among
the patrons of the city's big hotels
Visitors to New York are spending
more money here than ever before
and, incidentally, it was said yester-
day. are having more stolen.
The most recent of the robberies
has amounted to $4,000 in jewelry,
and there are believed to have been
others as large. Although the police
will say little about the epidemic,
some of them have expressed the
opinion that many of the "jobs" were
committed by men and women staying
at the same hotel as their victims.
AS with robberies in other sections
of the city, the police have taken every
precaution to suppress the facts. With
the ready assistance of hotel managers
who do not care to give publicity to
into the books at Police Headquarters
that are not open even to members Of
the department..
Woman Loses S4 900
The most recently announced loss
was sustained by Mrs. John Pelton,
now stopping at the Hotel Manhattan,
who has reported to the police that
$4,000 in cash and jewelry has been
stolen from her. The management of
the hotel denied last night that the
robbery had been committed there, but
refused to allow reporters to communi-
cate with Mrs. Pelton.
At the East Fifty-frst Street police
station it was admitted that the theft
had taken place, but all information
the loss Was,refused.
The robberies have been engineered
in apparent defiance of special police
protection. Several weeks ago a dead
line" squad of fifteen picked detectives
was organized and assigned to the
central shopping, hotel and theatrical
district. The squad was ordered to
"clean up" the district, and warning
was issued from Police Headquarters
to crooks and thieves to give that area
q wide berth.
Meanwhile, another gang of thieves,
said to be working in close cooperation
with hotel employees, was charged
with systematic thefts of silver serv-
ice, fine linen and china from the big
hotels. Three boys we're arrested yes
terday morning charged with compile
ity in these thefts after another boy
who had chanced to hear the conversa-
tions, reported to detective head
quarters that they were planning 8
new series of burglaries. The inform
ant said he was about to take his
first communion and wanted to have
a clear conscience
Two Held as Fences"
The prisoners, who were arrested
at a rendezvous at Bleecker and Morton
Streets, gave the names Of Vincent
Carfarella, Tony Sabini and Hugh
Cox
Detectives Fiaschetti and Botto. o1
Police Headquarters, said they hae
been given information by the boy:
that resulted in the arrest of Antonio
Campietello, driver for the Empire
Carting Company, and Michael De
Vito, at Morton Street, charged with
receiving stolen goods.
The driver was charged with making
arrangements with employees of the
leading hotels, including the Waldorf
under which valuable pieces OF silver
and china were wrapped in newspaper
and thrown out with the garbage
When the daily collection OF garbag'
was made Campietello was said t.
have collected the stolen goods, which
were turned over to another man wh'
disposed of them.
The story was told in the Jefferson
Market Court in the afternoon. will
the result that both Campietello an
De Vito we're held for action of tn
vrand furY