Evening star., 1932-09-07
WAVE Of HOLD-UPS
ST|RS INQUIRY BY
CHIEF GLASSFORD
81 Last Month, Including
Robberies, Against 46 in
August Last Year.
REPORT REQUESTED
OF DETECTIVE 0'DEA
Economic Conditions Blamed for
Increase--Many Are Fakes.
Taxi Drivers Prey.

With nearly twice as many hcld-ups
and robberies reported last month as In
August, 1881, and with the increase
continuing into September, Police Chief
Pelham D. Glassford today called for
a report on this phase of the crime sit
uation from Detective Sergt. Larry
O'Dea, head of the robbery squad.
Advised that 80 hold-ups and rob-
berries had been committed last month,
as against 46 a year ago, and that up
until this morning 20 persons had been
held up this month, Gen. Glassford at
tributed the heavy increase to the eco
nomic situation.
Crime throughout the country gen.
orally has been on the increase" said
Gen. Glassford, "and I have no doubt
the economic situation here in wash
inpton is responsible for the increased
number of hold-ups and robberies re-
ported to the Police Department.
"Where there is unemployment ana
need there always follows an increase
in crime. Compared with other cities,
especially the large industrial centers,
washington's increase is negligible.
However, the robbery squad, under
O'Dea's leadership, now Is cleaning up
a much larger percentage OF the crimes
reported than has been the case IN the
past.
Taxi Hold-ups Numerous.
Perhaps the greatest single factor In
the increase In this type of crime. IN
the opinion Of O'Dea and Acting De-
tectiye Chief B. w. Thompson. Is the
large number of taxicab hold-ups. And,
in the language of the ofdcers, many
of these are "phoney."
Prom one-third to one-half OF the
alleged hold-ups Of taxi drivers have
proved to be fakes" Capt. thompson
said. I'm many cases We have obtained
confessions from the cab drivers them
selves. In others. their employers have
told us they didn't believe their men
were held up. Nevertheless, we must
carry them on our records as hold-ups.
O'Dea, who has had S5 years expe-
rience tracking criminals, blamed
sIiouor. gambling and women" for
many Of the alleged hold-ups reported:
we've run down any number OF
cases reported as robberies and found
that men who were supposed to have
been held up had spent their money
drinking gambling or running around
with women. Then they go home and
tell their wives they were held up and
their pay stolen.
There is no doubt the depression Is
to blame for large part Of the in
crease, however"
Out-of- Town Men Active.
Neither Thompson nor ODea be-
l. tno nf
in the District, despite the increase.
Many of the larger jobs, such as gaso-
line station hold-ups, are being staged
by out-of-town gangs, they believe.
Without funds to send detectives to
other cities to track these men down,
the Washington Police Department is
somewhat handicapped in this respect
Police officials are convinced the bank
robberies here in recent months were
committed by out-of-town criminals.
ODea has not yet submitted his re-
port to Chief Glassford. He said today
it probably would take him several days
to compile the figures because two OF
his men are on leave and the fact the
robbery squad clerk has been on sick
leave for several weeks.
Only two hold-ups were reported last
night, and one of these occurred Sep
tember 2. On that day Samuel Sha-
piro, 4601 Georgia avenue, was held UP
Harvard street and robbed Of $500. A
bandit jabbed a gun into his ribs, Sha-
piro reported, and ordered him to drive
quietly to the Soldiers Home grounds
There the man took Shapiro's billfold
containing the money. AS he fed the
robber warned Shapiro: Say nothing
to police. or I'll shoot you"
When he reported the hold-up to
ODea, Shapiro gave the bandits name
and the man since has been arrested.
Lunch Room Held Up.
The other hold-up was reported by
William Mandis, proprietor Of lunch
room at 1927 Seventeenth street, who
told police he was robbed of S25. Ac--
cording to Mandis, the bandit entered
his restaurant, pulled a revolver ano
ordered the proprietor to lie face down
on the floor while he rifled the cash
register and escaped.
Eleven cases of housebreaking were
reported overnight. These included
Theodore Gum, 1920 r street, cloth
ing, watch and pistol, valued at S22;
Abraham j. Himelfarb, 5227 Connecti-
cut avenue, small savings bank stolen
Ralph E. Pope, 834 Eleventh street
northeast, house furnishings, auto ac-
cessories and suitcase, worth $21; Rob-
ert Granderson, 1902 B street north
east, clothing worth s28; Stoney Moore
4525 Canal road, clothing worth sl2
Frances Robey, 1875 Longfellow street
pocketbook containing SIS fountain pen
s25 gold rosary and $3.50 in cash; Johr
D. Fossett, colored, $40 Florida avenue
500 fur coat and 81 in cash; William
Hilderbrandt, Astoria Apartments, Thfrt
and G streets, $50 watch and sl3 II
cash; Mrs. Marie Moran. 1865 Rosedalt
street northeast, Sl.50; William Kohler
gas station, 1924 Florida avenue black
lack two reYnlYerS and Is pennieS