Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-14
ENTER THE SHOP[|FTER

n good deal of valuable merchandise
to an extremely clever young woman.
She was attractive and fashicnably
dressed, and always made favorable
impression upon the sales force. Rep
resenting herself 10 be the possessor
OF n charge account, the number OF
which she gave. she would order
goous sent to her supposed address
and then, at the last moment, decided
10 take a few packages with her. be
cause she could not wait to have them
sent
Tho goods. later delivered to the true
owner of the charge account, were i'm
mediately returned, SO that tho store
WAS not long ignorant OF the fact that
1t had been defrauded. The case was
referred to the store detectives. who at
once became concerned with one aues-
tion: how did the young woman
know the numbers OF other persons
charge accounts? Undoubtedly. she
must have an accomplicc working in
the store
1t was a customer who finally
brought the accomplice TO light. One
day, when this lady was amazed to re-
ceive u number OF unfequested pack
ages from second store. she called
Its manager on the telephone.
Il am sorry" that gentleman re-
Piled to her complaint. 1t 10 the first
case OF the kind we have had here,
aitho l understand 1t has happened a
btod tltHtS IN II HelknOOflnE
house. They suspect that one Of their
employees is involved. since only some
one connected with the store could
Know the numbers OF SO many dif-
ferent accounts.
oh" cried the lady. thinking
rapidly. "1'll bet It is that nice look
ing. friendly clerk. who wears such
artistic ties. / gave him tho number of
my account at your store by mistake
the other day. and tncn changed 1t 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
Piying MS attractive young wife with
names. addresses and numbers of var
ious charge accounts and directing her
shoplifting Efforts. For six months m,
scheme had worked Beautifully and
might have continued to do SO. had
ne not made a fatal slip by sendinr
her To the other st.re Both the clerk
and his wife are now serving a term
in Blackwelfs Island.
Most shoplfters, according tn ,h,
aforementioned store dctec,ive. eonfinc
their thefts To feminine lingerie and
SILK stockings, probably because these
articles can be crumpled without i'm
Jury and are easily concealed. Jewelry
ot an KINGS is aiso highly favored by
the shoplifting sistcrhood. One wom-
an. apprehonded during the christmns
rush season of last year. Ind ninc
strings OF beads concealed about nor
person. each OF which was worth about
Si3.oO. Another woman, arrested Tor
taking an expensive umbrella toIJ
with great gusto how few days he.
fore she had calmly walked out of
the store with an unpaid for suit nm
tho pockets of which Contained n
bracelet and silver vanity case lift
cd'' from the jcwclry counter.
One Of the most Irritating thing.
about the professional shoplifter saS.
our friend tho detective, Is her ,,sno
ly brilliant histrionic ability. Wh,.n
caught In the act OF stealing. she u.
apt throw an emotional fit. tearf,,,ly
appeal to the women shoppers nbo,,t
her. mention her little children who
are dependent upon her, sp-ak OF Tho
shame hcr arrest will cause hcr denr
old uncle, who is clergyman. nnd
otherwise prey upon the syrnpathics Of
the crowd until It looks upon tho lone
male detective as really tho r,iiltS
cent victim. mo i''""-
TT takes nerve to stand vour
ground IN such situation.' he do
clared. but then IL you didn't have
nerve you wouldn't be "a dctcctiya"