The Washington herald., 1922-03-29
POLISHED THIEF
ELUDESPOLICE
Trapped in an Apartment,
He Slips Through
Door and Flees.,
RINGS HALL BELLS
Breaks Into Homes When He
Hears No Response to
His Ringing.
RINGS HALL BELLS

Dapper and nonchalant, even
when capture was imminent, the
thief who. at the beginning of this
year. has broken into more than 100
apartments and stolen valuables ap-
proximating $4,000. slipped through
the hands of the police yesterday.
temporarily trapped in an apart
ment on the fourth floor of 141s
chiffon street northwest. by Miss
Virginia Bennett. the occupant, the
thief calmly Unanswered until ne
reaened a door leading to the hall
and walked to the street.
Police from the Tenth precinct
and detectives from police head
quarters were speedily dispatched
70 the scene. but a thorough search
OF the building and surrounding
territory failed to find him.
Poses as Canvasser.
With the polish of a frequenter
OF social functions and the tact of
a diplomat. this man. who is be-
heVed by the police to have come
70 this city from Southern winter
ISorts' mas successfully piled his
Unlawful trade.
entering an apartment house in
the residential district, the thief
rings the hall bells of the apart
ments- When a tenant responds he
sminngly urges them to subscribe
TO magazine" for which he poses
as a salesman. taking his leave af-
Ter having talked extensively upon
the merits" of the publication.
AT those apartments where he re-
eelNes no response. he forces an
entrance and after ransacking the
furnishings for valuables, carefully
closes the door and departs.
Police Hunt in Vain.
With this information at hand,
given by persons residing in apart
ment houses where the modern
Rafles" has operated. the police
have for the past several months
been conducting a city-wide search
for the perpetrator. but without re-
suit
On several occasions the thief
has been reported to have entered
apartments by way of fire escape
windows. but in most cases the en-
trance was gained by jimmying
the front doors.
Prior to yesterday. a man an
swerinG the description OF the
thief-middle aged. slender and
well-dressed-has been observed in
the halls of apartment houses, but
although the police were notified
he had vanished before their ar
rival.
Method Indicates One Man.
Daily the police in all parts Of
the District are requested to assist
in the recovery Of jewelry and other
valuables which have been stolen
from apartments. and owing to the
similarity of methods used in gain
ing entrance it is believed that
practically all Of the thefts are the
work Of the one man
As a result of the elusiveness of
the thief. Inspector Clifford l.
Grant. chief of detectives. notified
apartment house owners and oc-
cupants to be on a constant watch
for the thief. and to Immediately
communicate with the police when
a suspicious looking person is dis
covered prowling about the halls.
Miss Julia Banks. apartment 40.
at $500 Connecticut avenue north
west. yesterday reported the rob-
berry of iewelry valued at nearly
5000.
JeweIry worth s25 and $40 in
cash was stolen from the apart
ment of Sophie Lewis, 125 G street
southwest, by a thief who entered
with a duplicate key.
Clothing valued at $50 was stolen
from the apartment of Miss Mabel
Drase. 1872 X street northwest.
Teachers Robbed in school.
Four teachers at the Towers school
building. Eighth and c streets
southeast. were robbed of the con-
tents Of their handbags, left in the
cloak room during class hours.
The victimized teachers are the
Misses Lowe. buckingham. Williams
and Harmon. The total loot amounts
to approximately SIS. The thief evil
IDENTIFY wanted nothing but money
as valuable pieces of wearing ap-
pareI were left untouched.
Thieves broke into apartment 40 at
1I4S Girard street northwest and
robbed Miss Emma II. Zigler and
Bertha Penning of jewelry valued at
nearly $500.
Jewelry and war savings stamps
apartments of Mrs. Allen Jones. Miss
Pearl Jones and Miss Josephine
Warner at $500 Fourteenth street
northwest
The apartment of Miss Rosa
Brooking and Mrs. Esther Brook
iEg. 1T45 KalOrama road northwest.
was broken into and ewelry valued
at more than 800 was stolen.