The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-08
Purse Snatching in Local
Shops Has Become
Nuisance
MUCH SHOP LIFTING
This Also VIII Be Looked
After BY the
Officers

It was announced this morning
that Courtney's and Hartley's have
placed plain clothes detectives In
their various departments.
Without meaning at all to re-
fleet on perfectly honest shopping
bags, the merchants in the city are
just now calling a few or these han
dy appurtenances = shop.lift1ng
bags.
."Petty stealing isn't any worse
this year than any other" remark
ed Jack Rownd, of Harley's store
this morning-"and l have yet to
run down case where the thief
really needed the article he or she
steals. Complaints as to petty
thieves is voiced all over the coun-
try Just now"
Scarcely a day passes that some
store proprietor In this city doesn't
find himself In an uncomfortable
position because one or two Of his
customers have lost pocket books
.'Tell the shopping public, repeat
these store keepers emphattcally,
that the only way we can break up
this shop-lifting business is for Gus
toners to report instantly every
theft they see" 1t is the general
opinion Of store keepers, especially
the department store proprletors,
that many thefts are witnessed by
customers who refuse to report the
matter, feeling they don't want to
be drawn into any notoriety In con-
nection with the matter. These
people are urged to come at once
to the office or to a nearby clerk
and menLion what they have seen.
There will be no reason at all for
OBTAINING them further for their
kindness and much Of benefit will
accrue.
The public Is also warned not to
lay down pocket books while try
ing on hats or other clothing. Sat
urday evening well known woman
in the city placed her purse for a
moment on the counter In Court
ney's stor eand when she. turned to
go out Of the store the purse was
gone. Later 1t was found on an
other counter under some clothing
but the money, something over
$50, was gone.
} Last week several children
were caught stealing and one of
these, q nero baby in the lower
grades was later found at her
home and the money recovered. A
clever bit Of detective work enBi-
neered by the woman who lost her
purse, Mrs. Arthur Lynch, enabled
the owner to regain a substantial
sum. The child had been noticed
by one of the clerks in Hartley's
store and was SO described that it
was a simple matter to round her
up. The, clerk and Mrs. Lynch Wis
tied each school and as the chill
dren marched out, the guilty miss
was spied.
From now on until after the
Christmas shopping season plain
clothes detectives will be placed in
prominent positions in the large
stores 80 that it will be practically
impossible for the shop-lifter to get
away with stolen articles.
This morning a purse belonging
to the young lady in the music de-
partment of Hartley's store which
was stolen a day or so ago was dis
covered in a water tank in room
in the Home Savings Bank build
ing. The purse. an expensive
brown leather one, was submerged
In the water and almost ruined.
The money inside was, OF course,
missing. Miss Davis, the owner,
placed It near here while showing
records, and when she turned it
was gone.
Simon T. Goodman tells an ex-
pertence he had last week. Two
women were examining skirts in
the middle Of the store, one Of the
women having a shopping bag on
her arm. Just In the nick Of time
Mr.. Goodman chanced by. ANY
thing / can do for you today?" he
inquired politely. And then--be-
cause one OF the women seemed
embarrassed, he laid his hand on
dark piece Of material projecting
slightly from the top OF the bag.
I'll belieye-I'll take-thls-
CContinued on Page Four)
o.