SYDNEY SHOP-LIFTER

Shannon News, 6 January 1928, Page 3

SYDNEY SHOP-LIFTER

GOODS IN HOME. AN'AMAZING SIGHT. Whisky, wine, beer and soft drinks of every description; Christmas cakes books, dolls .toys, lollies, cigars, jars of preserved fruit, wireless sets, in fact a complete Christmas supply that would bring joy to the hearts Of adults and children alike. The above reads like the inventory of a prosperous store —in reality it was what greeted detectives when they raided the home of Sydney’s most ingenious shop-lifter at Abbotsford. This man is said to have introduced a new idea into shoplifting. In fact, according to detectives Watkins and Delaney, of the C. 1.8., lie show’cd an ingenuity that is seldom found in the “game.’

The-two detectives had occasion to arrest a man on a charge of stealing frocks valued at £2O, the property of Farmers, Ltd. After he had been charged at the Central Station the detectives took him to his home at Abbotsford.

There an amazing sight met their eyes. The house was literally stocked with property. There were no fewer than seven clocks in the diningroom. Four Christmas calces were on the table, while four more were out In the kitchen.

Then there were wireless sets, batteries. dolls, tablecloths, silks, frocks, cordials, lollies, millinery, cigars, cigarettes, jars of preserved fruit, slip-, pers, ties, perfumery, hosiery, whisky wines, ale, stout, and various other articles too numerous to mention. The man gave the detectives a great deai of assistance. Many of the ar : tides, lie is alleged to have admitted were stolen; others he claims as his own property. The detectives contented themselves for • the time being with taking possession of the property above mentioned which the man is alleged to have admitted was stolen. The detectives were eager to learn how the man had operated. They say that he told v them he had been stealing from shops for the past eight months, with the aid; of a large box covered with brown paper, and made from light deal wood. This box which was about 20 inches long and about six inches deep, was tied with strong string the ends of which fastened inside. There was a sliding lid of similar manufacture, also covered with paper, and which could be adjusted at a second’s notice. The mafi would watch his opportunity, seize articles, place them in the box. He would then affix the lid, and to all intents and purposes would be leaving the shop with an ordinary brown paper parcel;

He operated invariably in his lunch hour. He had a car of his own. and it svas his practice, the detectives said to leave the car outside, and after filling the box walk outside and empty the contents into the car. He would then return to the store.

While the detectives were examining the property the man frequently kept telling them that he was dreadfully nervous, and had to take strong nerve tonic. He drank, so he said, and when arrested the first thing he said was: “God I’m nervous. I must have a drink of tonic.”

Yet lie told the detectives that he had walked ipto a stoi-e, calmly picked up a porfable wireless set worth £BO, and walked out again. He did the same thing with the batteries, These articles were too heavy to carry in the box.

The man owned his own home and car. Last night the detectives -were looking for that in the city. They think it will contain other stolen property, as it was thought that the man was “operating” at the. time of Ills,.arrest.