Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-15

Gabrielle Lcmaire Was In the news
papers. 80 there can't be no harm in
telliD' that. Mind, ] don't gay II hap
pened In this store, but It shows The
kind Of schemes every sfore is con-
stantiy haYin' put over on IT."
Not long ago. II seems. certain
store became aware that II Was los
ing a good deal Of valuable merchan-
diee to an extremely clever young
woman. She was attractive and
fashionably dressed. and always made
a favorable impression upon the saies
force. Representing herself to be the
possessor Of charge account. the
number of which she gave, she world
order goods sent 10 her supposed ad-
dress and then, at the last moment. de-
eide 20 take . few packages with her.
because she could not wait To have
them sent.
The goods later delivered to the
true owner of the charge account,
were Immediately returner, 80 that tn,
store was not long ignorant Of the fact
that 1t had been defrauded. The case
was referred 20 the store detectives
I who at once became concerned with
one question: how did the young wo-
man know the numbers Of other per-
sons charge accounts? Undoubtedly,
she must hage an aecompiice working
in the store.
How Thieves Were Csught.
II was a customer who finally
brought the accompIice 70 light. One
0ay, when this lady was amazed 10
receive number Of unreducsted pack
ages from second store. she called
its manager on the telephone.
II am sorry" that gentleman re-
tiled to her complaint. 1T is the fret
case Of the kind we have had here, al
though I understand Il has happened
n good many times in a neighboring
house. They suspect that one Of Their
employees is involved. since only some
one connected with the store could
know the numbers Of 50 many diff
ferent accounts.
I oh" cried the lady. thinking rapid
= l., "Ill bet It Is that nice-Iooldnv
friendly clerk, who wears such ar
, tistic ties I gave him the number of
? my account at yo.r store by mistake
the other day, and then changed It
to the correct number at his store, ex-
planning my mistake"
An investigation proved that the
lady was correct in her suspicion. The
. young man in question had been sup
4 plying his attractive young wife with
names, addresses and numbers OF vari-
q Gus charge accounts and directing her
: shoplifting efforts. For six months
/. the scheme had worked beautifully
n ard might have continued 70 do so
= had be not made a fatal slip by send
v ing her "a the other store. Both the
clerk and his wife are now serving =
- term in Blackweirs Island.
; Most shoplifsers, according to tho
10 aforementioned store detective. con-
fine their thefts to feminine lingeria
70 and silk stockings probably because
p these articles can be crumpled without
II, injury. and are easily concealed
= Jtweiry Of all kinds is also highly
favored by the shopIifting sisterhooi
One woman, apprehended during tn,
NJ Christmas rush season of last year
ss had nine strings Of beads concealed
,r about her person. each of which wa
e worth about $500. Another woman
= errested for taking an expensive um
'. breIla, told with great gusto how :
~ few days before she had calmly wakes
% on, the pockets of which contained +:
II bracelet and silver vanity cas-
n lifted from the jewelry counter.
10 One of the most irritating thing
il about the professional shoplifter, say
Or our friend the detective. is her usual
tv ~ brilliant histrionic ability. Whe
,d caught in the act of stealing, she
& apt to throw an emotional fit, tearfuil
Ie appeal to the women shoppers abou
i her. mention her little children wh
n are dependent upon her, speak of IN
&c shame her arrest will cause her dea
d. old uncle, VINO is a clergyman, an
ic otherwise prey upon the sympath:e
ly Of the crowd until il looks upon IN
a lone male detective as really the guilt
a party and the shoplifter as ms in
TO nocent victim.
b. "Et takes nerve to stand your groun
in such a situation ne declared, "ht
ly. then IL YOU didn't have nerve 70
Of wouldn't be a detective"