Evening star., 1937-01-15
FULL-DRESS THIEF
SUSPECT IN JAIL;
GEM STORE RA|DED
New York Seizure May Help
Clear Up Many Rob-
! berries Here.
$4,000 IN LOOT LAID
TO OPERATIONS IN D. c.
Cuban Held by Local Police Wore
Street Clothes When Taken
at His Home.

With a man described as "a noto-
rious full-dress burglar" in custody
here, a Washington detective flew to
New York, it was learned today, and
led a jewelry store raid which may
help clear up a series of robberies in
which jewels and other valuables
worth more than $50.0 900 were obtained
from Capital homes.
The man under arrest here-George
Garcia, Is, Cuban-was taken into
custody in the 1700 block of N street
by Detective Sergts. Joseph w. Shimon
and Harry Britton last Wednesday.
At the time, he was wearing ordinary
street clothes instead of the full dress
or tuxedo which, according to the de-
tectives, he customarily used for
"busineSs."
After questioning Garcia extensively,
Shimon were to New York yesterday
to lead the raid on the jewelry store,
located in the Bronx. Shimon and
the New York detectives working with
him arrested. Antonio Vazquez, 36,
proprietor of the store, and Elpidio
Padron, 80, the Associated Press re-
ported.
The raid was made, the Associated
Press quoted Shimon as saying, on
information obtained from Garcia.
Unset Gems Found.
In the store the raiders found unset
diamonds, stickpins, diamond rings
and other valuables said to be worth
"over $4,000" Among the articles
was a gold mesh bag bearing the in
scription u. w. S. to j. H. S., 80"
Vazquez was charged with criminal
ly receiving stolen goods and Padron
with carrying a dangerous weapon, a
knife.
Garcia was held today at the third
precinct. No charges were lodged
against him, but pritton said he ad-
mitted participation in at least is or
II robberies.
Britton said Garcia described him
self as master craftsman-probably
one of the best thieves in the country"
Garcia had been the object of an
intense search for two months.
Among his victims police listed A. E.
Giegengack, public printer.
The prisoner, it was claimed, ad-
mitted robbing the homes of Mrs.
Ellen Dodge, 2131 Florida avenue;
Elva Houseman, 1716 H street; Rose
King, 1903 Connecticut avenue; Miss
Mauricea. Taxey, 1901 Sixteenth
street; Frank Tobin, 1874 Belmont
road; Alfred c. Lindstrom, 1909 Bel
mont road; Virginia Mcdonald, 1900
Belmont road; Margaret Clark. 1712
Sixteenth street, and Marion B.
Meakins, 1915 Sixteenth street.
Celluloid "Jimmies" Locks.
Garcia gained entrance to the
apartments or homes of his victims
by 'jimmying' the locks with flexible
pieces of celluloid, it was said. Usually
he operated between and pm,
Investigators said.
Detectives Britton and Shimon said
they found bits of celluloid in the lock
of the Shoreham Hotel apartment Of
Mrs. Helen Goldnamer, from whom
$500 in jewels and $500 in cash were
stolen.
Police who questioned him said
Garcia told them he had contem-
plated stealing the famous Hope
diamond from Mrs. Evalyn Walsh
Mclean.
During their search for Garcia,
large details of policemen had been
stationed in fashionable residential
sections. Garcia Is said to have taken
airplane trips to New York after COM
pleting big job" to dispose Of his
loot.