THWARTING THE WOMAN SHOP-LIFTER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 572, 26 January 1929, Page 26

THWARTING THE WOMAN SHOP-LIFTER

! HOUSE-DETECTIVE IN GREAT j DEPARTMENT STORE OUT-I LINES HIS METHODS

HROUGH preventive ZaTwVaA measures and laws made to protect merchants ' from shoplifters, we have reduced losses to ! A: ”M’ ‘a minimum. I don’t mean to say that the number of shoplifters has been greatly decreased — we’ll always have a certain influx of plundering females who park their conscience at the door when they enter a shop—but few escape the numerous traps which are set for them,” says a well-known “house-detective” in an article written for the Press. “Women operatives are - thoroughly familiar with the faces of well-known thieves, and as soon as they see any in the store they keep on their trail until they leave or, if they appear professionally interested in merchandise, bring them down to the chief detective’s office for a ‘quizzing.’ “There are two reasons why professional shoplifters ply their trade more indefatigably at Christmas time than at any other. One is that the ‘fences’ to whom they sell their plunder are in the market for a big Christmas stock, and the other is that the great crowds of shoppers make their work easier. “Fences have on their books lists of .customers who deal regularly with them. Many of these are otherwise respectable citizens, who cannot resist the temptation to get merchandise cheaply even if it comes from tainted sources. “These fdnees are known to the police, hut as it is almost impossible to convict them we have to do the best we can by keeping them under constant surveillance. Receivers of stolen goods, as a rule, have certain clever shoplifters working for them who are sent out with orders to get definite articles. “Because of the large staff of housedetectives guarding every store the risk is very great, but so are the returns. They run something like this: the fence pays the shoplifter one-third of the amount of the price-tag and he sells it for at least one-half. For example, should the shoplifter steal a £I,OOO coat, she receives £4OO and the fence clears at least £2OO in disposing of it. Keeping the store price tag on involves the shoplifter far more, of course, than when she gets rid of it, for the tag is an indisputable give-away—the tag I refer to is a | hidden tag put there for the purpose of trapping thieves. “Women’s evening frocks this year are rather bulky with all their elaborate rufflings and draperies, but the expert shoplifter can get away with these unless a very sharp lookout Is kept. She will come in wearing a

SHOPLIFTERS sometimes work in the voluminous pocket inside her coat while shielded by her confederate, wh cl loosely-fitting coat, or carrying a bag, and when the saleswoman, harassed by the crowd of holiday shoppers, lays a few imported gowns on the rack ready for the stock boy to carry off, she will manage to grab three or four, hangers and all. “The ones who make the most fuss when they are brought in by the operatives are what we might call amateurs, though for amateurs they certainly manage to steal very cleverly. Some of them accumulate a complete wardrobe, starting with shoes and hosiery and finishing up with millinery. When accused of stealing, they threaten suits for false arrest, and when it is proved to them that we have caught them with the goods they put up a plea of unpremeditated yielding to temptation. Yet from the shoppers’ bags they carry to conceal and check their stolen merchandise, and the few shillings in their pocket, which wouldn’t pay for a tenth of their loot, the simplestminded could guess that they came well prepared to steal.” “I recall the case of the daughter of an Ambassador to a large European country who was detected stealing very costly laces. When she was brought before me, she begged me to let her go and send an account for the goods. She said that she had always

pairs and one stuffs her bag or with costly material from the counter o pretends to be examining a roll of oth. given her friends real lace gifts for Christmas, but that that year she was financially short "and stated frankly that she succumbed to the temptation to steal them. She professed sincere contrition. She was picked up on the same charge two days later, her parents were notified and guaranteed to prevent further pilferings. “The wife of a millionaire manufacturer came into our store and stole an expensive handbag and several men’s ties. With her was her husband. hut neither he nor the saleswoman noticed the theft. A store detective caught her in the. act and followed the couple out on the pavement. Both were indignant and the man tried to shove away the woman operative, who had grabbed hold of the shoplifter’s arm, opened her coat and uncovered the pilfered articles. “We have many women who drop in from the rural districts and count upon getting away with a little pilfering in the great city. It is really extraordinary how tricky their technique is in concealing goods. “Shoplifters steal for a great many reasons, but eventually they all end up in the same place. If they are not caught the first time, they get the thieving fever, and sooner or later they are brought into court on the charge of being a common thief!”