SHOP THIEVES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5230, 23 January 1928, Page 3

SHOP THIEVES.

■WORRY TO SYDNEY TRADERS.

AMENDMENT TO ACT WANTED. The shoplifting habit has become so prevalent in Sydney that the Retail Traders’ Association has decided to ask for an amendment of, the First Offenders Act. It is estimated that the losses of some establishments from his practice amount to thousanlds of pounds a year. The association is also considering the, launching of a pubicity campaign, giving particular attention to theschools, in an effort to. bring the matter of stealing arid its consequences before the public.

Hundreds of. arrests, mostly of women, have been made during the past few weeks. One jveman was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, and a man, who possessed, a. special contrivance for getting the goods away without arousing suspicion, was sentenced to eighteen months’ gaol. In this case, the magistrate, declined to treat the man as a first offender, pointing out that he had been operating for eight months. One retail establishment which kept a record of offenders has reported to the association that only 10 per cent, of those engaging in shoplifting were “professionals,” and that 50 per cent, yielded to sudden temptation

Witli the idea that prevention is beter than punishment, the association intends to conduct its propaganda campaign! with aj view 1 to awakening a sense of the danger of giving way among all thpfeei who .have not yet done so.