FLAPPER CROOKS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1929, Page 7

FLAPPER CROOKS

THE IMAGINATIVE TOUCH

LONDON, April 10. Women criminals are increasing ir numLers and in initiative.

In the underworld of London young women are known to be leaders ol highly efficient criminal gangs. No only in the higher ranks of crime, bui also in the more sordid cases whici daily come before the police courts, girls who are little more than “flappers ” are figuring equally with men on the average sheets. There are roughly three types o women criminals. The first and mos: dangerous is the well-educated, fash ionably dressed adventuress who share: in the plans and profits off the bip coups. She is to be found everywhere the money is, the money of the pleas ure seeker —Le Touquet to-day, Lon don and Brighton in the season, later at Deauville and the Lido.

WOMEN AS GANGSTERS

•Sometimes she plays a lone hand with blackmail as her objective, bul more frequently she is a member of ai international gang that plays for higl stakes. -She is the Miss Moriarty o the underworld, and a very accom plished and charming companion she h until the trap closes over the victim. Card-sharpers and confidence mer find valuable allies in charming girls who join the gangs 011 a business foot ing. Proprietors df gambling dens also select their most efficient touts from attractive women of the under world, who know their way about most of the capitals of the Continent.

THE VANITY MOTIVE.

During the last few years daring women have taken an active part ir the more risky crimes, such as bur glary and counterfeiting, and it is suspected at Scotland Yard that some of tiie audacious coups in which the crim inals showed exceptional initiative and resource been planned, if not executed, largely by women. There has been a new and imaginative touch in the exploits. The second and very formidable of woman criminal is a skilled amateur. Her speciality is shoplifting, which she has brought to such a high state of perfection that all the bip stores employ highly trained womei detectives in an effort to save them selves thousands of pounds a year. The shoplifter is driven to crime by vanity. She must have pretty clothes silk stockings, modish hats, and she uses her brains to get what her purse will not provide.

SKILLED AMATEURS

These girls work in twos and threes one to cover and watch, the other tx thieve and secrete. Many are caughi weekly, but many more get away with the goods. These girls are skilled amateurs, they steal only ifor persona decoration, hilt they are more success ful than the average professional shop lifter, who is soon a marked woman. The third and very common type h the spurious servant girl who gets a job in a home for the sole purpose ol robbing it. A disturbing fact about these womm crooks is their youth. They take t' crime shortly after leaving school, an' l they are accomplished criminals in their early twenties. Some oif the most expert shoplitters. in London ai' girls in their teens.