WOMEN THIEVES

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 276, 18 May 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

WOMEN THIEVES

BY A WELL-KNOWN LADY detective.

abip°\v° n f i 6 V ' Car a lashiona >le \\ est-eud church requested the ladies of the congregation who remained tho celebration of the Holv Communion after the morning service not o leave anything , n their peahen theft Mup t0 tlle altar - as 50 man y thefts of bags, purses, gl„v C s. furs, etc* l«vin^',h U ,Tuiidin" "• Prt ' V '"" STE ALI NT; NOTEPA PER. l0r !" of P' lforin S is curiously prevalent; taking notepaper, powder, toilet requisites, etc., which arc pro! J (led at the big shops for t.ie use of their customers. There are, of course, potty thefts, and possibly these "snap-pers-up of unconsidered" trifles" would be much aggrieved to I* considered dishonest. B„t that this is an evil that is spreading is undeniable. In a well-known woman's dub in the Westend the members were requested to 10-k up their furs, umbrellas, etc. as so many tilings disappeared in a mvstenous manner in the cloakroom, and new-comers were solemnlv warned not to leave anything about even for a tew minutes. THIEVING IX A CATHEDIiAL. Kleptomania is no new <■, mphint it has afflicted people—the fair sex particular y-for a lengthy period, but it IS a little nard to say why it should break out now and again in virulent form. Often too, the very boldness of the act roos the onlooker of any chance ot bringing the sinner to justice For instance, the writer was at an Ordination service in a famous cathedral, sitting in ths cho'r stalls, and next to her was a woman garbed in the habit ot a Sister of Charity—obviouslv a disguise as after-events proved.' When the collection was taken—in bags—the pretended Sister of Chanty managed to drop the bag between herself and the person next to her (undniablv a confederate), and as she d'd so 'she thrust her hand into tho bag and secured a good handful of coin*. A BOLD ATTEMPT. A peculiarly bold attempt at theft was that reported to me by a lady who was the intended victim of the robbery. She was at a theatre, in the front row of the dress-circle, and having on a nice sable stole, and the theatre being warm, she placed the fur on the ledge in front of her. What was her surprise at the end of the performance to see the lady who had neon sitting bv her—and to whom she was a complete stranger—calmly take up the stole and place it round her own neck. My friend, when she recovered her breath, at once demanded tho restitution of her fur. But in place of the usual apology for a mistake—the refuge of most would-be purloiners this individual calmly remarked, "What do you mean? This is my stole," and gripped it round her neck. BROUGHT TO BOOK. To mv friend's indignant denial and asertion that it was her property, she turned a deaf ear, and prepared to leave the theatre with the stole twisted round her neck. The real owner, however, clung to the end of it, and an attendant coming up to the pair, they were referred to tne manager, whose Solomon-like judgment it was that the stole should be left with him, while the disputants, had to leave their names and addresses, and then the next day they were to go to the theatre anil produce proof of the purchase of the stole —either the name of the furrier and the date of the purchase, or the furrier himself. STILL AT LARGE. The next day my friend duly made her appearance, together with her furrier—fortunately for her the stole was a recent purchase and had been bought in London—and he testified to its purchase, and also to satisfy the theatremanager informed him that on unpicking the lining he would find certain trade marks on the skins. This was done and certain trade marks duly displayed, and eventually the rightful owner was permitted to depart witii her own property. The other claimant, needless to say, did not put in an appearance, and it was found impossible to trace her, both the name and address given be'ng false.