THE THEFTS IN SHOPS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1434, 8 May 1912, Page 6

THE THEFTS IN SHOPS.

WHAT BUSINESS FIRMS DO. (Bj> Telegraph.—Soecial Correspondent.) Cliristcliurch, May ". Talking with a "Press" representative on the subject of shop-lifting, the manager for Messrs, Strange and Co. stated to-day that his firm had experienced a considerable amount of it, ami, during tho last twelve months, they had I* l ]'- 011 special steps to prevent it. lie adueus "A number of professional shoplifters are well-known to us, and are also known by our staff. Theso are awfully wutelieil from the moment they enter the promises till thev leave. The amount ol slioplittine which used to exist in former times was duo to the offenders being treated ioo leniently. We now have a rule that, >11 every case detected, proceedings must follow.' We don't display any goods outside, because we think it is a biu-. system, and conducive to theft. Shop-lilt' ing, as far as we are concerned, is almost entirely confined to women." . "I do not think shoplifting is on the incrtaso with us," said (he .manager u-. tii o P.I.C. "Our experience is that thero i= "nn "outbreak at sale times and Christmas and wo have instituted o good number of proceedings during tho last sis months, with a view to decreasing is annoyance. Tho worst of it is that, tho people caught arc usually in n position to pay for the goods. I lave instructions to proceed in every case that comes befoio The manager of another largo drapery eslabishment said that they had not had a single ease of shop-liftmK foi i years. This seemed to indicate that it inust s>o ou tho decrease here.