The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-25
THEFTS WORRY
SHIPPING MEN
Believe Organized International
Gang of Crooks is Stealing
Goods During Transit.

Buenos Aires, Feb. 24.-Belief that
zatfon is at work stealing merchan-
disc from steamships is expressed in
a report of the United States Cham
ber of Commerce in Argentina. The
able merchandise by pilfering from
ships plying to this port and found
that the same characteristics are Wis
ible in thefts of merchandise from
Italy, Spain, and England as from the
United States"
The investigation was made at the
request of the Allied Chamber of Com
merce which asked all the members to
make similar investigations.
The increase in pilferage during
the past few months had been alarm
ing - says the report. An effort was
made to deduce from the evidence re-
ceived the value of the goods stolen,
but this was impossible although in
general terms it would seem to run
into hundreds of thousands of dollars
gold.
"One curious fea ature developed
which was that pilferage occurs with
frequency in articles sent by parcels
post, for which there is no recourse
if no value has been declared.
The thefts have all the characters
tics of systematized robbery by peo-
pie who know the merchandise and
also know the peculiarities of the
shippers. 1t would seem, moreover,
that a widespread international or
ganization was at work for the same
characteristics are visible in thefts
of merchandise from &taly. France,
Spain, and England as from the Unit
ed States.
"One house imported lot of 80 au-
tOmObiles. 1t is the custom of this
factory to pack the set Of tools in one
special corner of the case. a hole was
cut in this particular corner of
20 cas- and the tool sets We're re-
moved. Apparently the thieves knew
exactly where to look for the articles
they desired.
Another house which imports dry
goods found that zinc-Iined cases had
been opened, the silk contents removed
and an equal weight of coal put into
the cases which were nailed up. An
other house which also imports dry
goods had several cases of silk velvet
completely rifled and in the gases We're
found cotton goods of an inferior
quality. Each of these cases involved
losses amounting to nearly $4,000
gold. One exporter of silk, from Eu-
rope, with the idea of deceiving the
thieves changed his form of packing
and also his shipping marks but the
thieves went direct to the packages
and rifled them as though they knew
beforehand what they contained Two
separate shipments each containing
1906 600 sewing machine needles were
stolen, the empty boxes arriving in
Buenos Aires, although in this case
the shippers have complete security
that the merchandise was loaded on
the steamer in proper condition in
New York. a merchant makes his
custom house declaration in harmony
with the shipping documents received
from abroad and must pay duty on
goods that were stolen.
i The British steamship companies
at first and more recently the Amer
! lean steamship companies have IN
cIuded in their bills of 1ading clause
to the effect that the steamer will
not be responsible for pilferage in all
cases in whlCn loss can De CoNe4eu DS
/ insurance.
Insurance companies are increasing
their rates and threaten to make still
MORO increases. The attitude of the
steamship companies and the captains
is a direct invitation to unrestricted
theft on board ship. AS theft lncreas-
/ es insurance rates will increase ana
| the eventful prejudice to legitimate
| commerce threatens to be very grave
THE opinion of responsible mari
/ time insurance agents and adJusters
! who are in close touch with the situa-
l+ion is that the only remedy IS Tor
! the steamship companies to reassune
responsibility for pilferage ana IN case
| they are unwilling to do so govern
mental pressure should be prousht ~
bear TO compel them to eiifiiii'a K ms
clause"