Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-30
MOVE TO
CHECK SERIES Of
BOLD ROBBER|ES
Plain-Clothes Men A S.
signed to Guard Depart
ment Stores.
WOMAN SHOPLIFTER GETS
FINE AND JAIL SENTENCE
Officers Chase Burglars Over
Housetops in Shopping
District.

w. A. Clarke. Jr., secretary OF the
Richmond Retail Merchants Associa-
ton, said yesterday that city detec-
tives will be placed in all depart
ment stores for the next few weeks
in an effort TO check tho constant
stream of pilferings, big and little.
which recently have threatened
serious losses TO stores victimizcd By
shoplif;ers.
Mr.. Clarke appeared before Police
Justice Maurice yesterday afternoon
in place OF George Il. Wise. Com
monwcalth's Attorney. when Mrs.
Margaret Murray, one of four local
women arrested by police during the
past summer on shoplifting charges,
was placed on trial. lie obtained a
conviction and Mrs. Murray was
sentenced to thirty days in jail. with
Il fine of $25.
Mrs. Grace Hutchinson, who ap-
peaicd n similar sentence when con-
victed few weeks ago on the same
charge. obtained continuation OF
her case until November 10, her at
torncy charging that police had not
shown proof of the alleged thefts.
Joseph Nunnally. attorney for Mrs.
Murray. declared he would appeal
her case to Hastings Court. She was
freed on n $500 bond. There are said
to be several charges against her be-
side the one on which she was tried
yesterday. Likewise the police have
made nearly n score OF complaints
against Mrs. Hutchinson and tho
ether members of the alleged band
which they say has been operating
for many months.
Shoplifterr Are Active.
Mr. Clarke says merchants con-
to him that various
schemes 10 remove goods from their
counters are being successfully car
ried out by women, old and young.
who frequent their stores day after
day. and even go SO far as 10 take
refuge in rest rooms provided by the
merchants while they conceal articles
of merchandise or transfer them from
hiding places on their own persons
To allege accomplices whom they
have stationed in waiting for them.
Some merchants have discovered the
loss of their own goods by finding
in their stocks articles said TO belong
TO other storekeepcrs. which. 1t Is
claimed. were substituted by the al
legged pilferers for things that were
more to their fancy in other stores
visited by them.
Since last summer the losses have
been steadily mounting, said Mr.
Clarke, until now they amount 10
several thousand dollars each month.
despite the fact that store detectives
have made every effort TO trail the
suspected parties. With the approach
of the holiday season the depreda-
tions are bound to become still more
serious az the shopping throngs are
augmented. unless concerted action is
started ut once. believe the depart
mcnt store heads.
Chnscd Over Rooftops.
Police are also on the lookout for
4 man or a group OF men. who are
believed to be back OF the recent
attempts 10 enter BROAD Street stores
a window in the Jacobs & Levy
store was forced the other night and
much merchandise nbstractcd from
show cases and the store rooms.
On Thursday night police had a
chase on the roofs OF stores at the
southeast corner of Broad and Sixth