ACTIVE SHOPLIFTERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 334, 22 September 1932, Page 3

ACTIVE SHOPLIFTERS

WELLINGTON CASE WOMAN GAOLED ON CHARGES OF SYSTEMATIC THIEYING. MANY FipiS CONCERNED. Wellington, Tuesday. "The offence of shoplifting is easy to commit, and in large shops is no doubt difficult to detect. I think shopkeepers must be protected from-ihese systematic shoplifters," said Mr. E. Page, S.M., to-day when sentencing Janet Barnett, a married woman, 56, who had pleaded guilty to five charges of stealing from city shops, to six months' imprisonment. The de^ fendant admitted that over a period of six months she had stolen goods of a total value of £44 Is lOd from the D.I.C, Ltd, George and Doughty, Ltd., Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd., Ferguson and Osborne, and C. Smith, Ltd. Detective-Sergeant Revell said that on 12th August last the defendant had been to the D.I.C., and after she left it was discovered that a dress was missing. As a result the assistants were instructed to wateh her, and on 9th September, when she again visited the shop, the manager got into touch with the police. Detective McPhee went to the shop, told the defendant that she was suspected of shoplifting, and asked her to come to I the manager's office. On the way there the defendant tried to get rid of something which she had in her handbag, and it turned out to be a coat. That afternoon Detective McPhee searched the defendant's house and found all the other articles mentioned in the charges, including overcoats, a dress, a tablecloth, ribhon, wool, a boudoir cap, gloves, perfume, face powder, a toy doll and books. Shopkeepers Anxious. "On her own statement she has been stealing from shops round the town for the last six months," said Detec-tive-Sergeant Revell. "I might mention that a great deal of shoplifting is going on at the present time and is causing shopkeepers very much anxiety. We look upon thi= woman as a very active shiplifter." In 1926, and again in June of last year, the defendant had been convicted of shoplifting, and on each occasion had been ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, but evidently on thoss occasions the leniency of the court did not appeal to her and she was still carrying on with this class of offence, said Mr. Revell. While appreeiating the gravity of the defendant's offence, counsel said, it would seem that the woman had an unfortunate weakness for taking goods in the way she had done. She had been deserted by her husband some years ago and since then had struggled to bring up her family and give them a good education. He understood that none of the articles found in her possession had been used, so it would appear that she had not stolen them for profit. Failed to Take Warning. "This woman was shown leniency before, but she does not seem to have taken the warning those convictions should have given her, nor does' she seem to have appreciated that leniency," said Mr. Page. The term of imprisonment was imposed on the first charge, and on the others the defendant was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within two years.