THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, XOVE3IBER 26, 1923
3
ijV-
The Staggering Losses Inflicted on
Great Stores Everywhere,
With 1000 Arrests a Year in
Singl
le Establishment
BY CAROL BIRD.
HIS is the season when "boosters"
are especially active. They are
busy workers all the year round.
bat now as the holiday season approaches
they are beginning to marshal their forces
lor a rush business as it were. "Boosters,"
be it knowns, are shoplifters. Though
business is always "picking up" with t
them, their trade prospers mightily at '
the Christmas season. For this is the
time of the year when merchandise is ex
hibited in especially alluring and tempt
ing displays. And, too, this is the time
when shoppers are out with fat handbags
and wallets. The joyous festive season
fills them with good cheer. Dark sus
picion does not lurk in their minds. They
are inclined to think that their fellow
men are pretty much worth-while, after
all. And when a man or woman is in
that Bice, friendly frame of mind a
"booster" or a pickpocket can sneak right
up and "snitch" their eyeglasses off their
roses without being noticed.
That is, they can if a department store
detective isn't somewhere in the offing.
It is in the department stores where
boosters and pickpockets ply their trade
on a large scale. And almost all depart
ment stores have whole regiments of de
tectives circulating about, spotting the
nimble-fingered ones. Each store has its
own system of guarding its goods and its
customers from shoplifters and pick
pockets. It is obvious that the details of
the elaborate and effective system of
operation for store detectives cannot be
divulged. But suffice it to say that
these days only a few shoplifters and
these few particularly clever stay out
of the net of those who are on the alert
for them. They may get away once, but
the second or third time they are bound
to be caught. ' Or they may possibly es
cape one regiment of detectives in one
big store only to tumble into the net laid
for them in another.
If the stores were not thus policed,
"boosters" would probably carry out
everything worth taking and then come
back for the electric light fixtures. The
extent of the activities of shoplifters can
best be judged when the following stag
gering figures are noted: In one depart
ment store of a great city more than 1000
thieves are arrested in a year. Scarcely
a day goes by that doesn't find some of
these light-fingered gentry in the store
detectives' net. Their hauls average all
the way from a cheap spool of thread to a
fur coatcosting thousands of dollars. This
store could not estimate exactly its yearly
loss of merchandise due to store thieves,
but it is certain that the figure would be
pretty high. Of course, a great deal of
the stolen property is recovered, but shop
lifters do manage to get away with rich
hauls.
Shoplifters are old and young,. rich and
poor, black and white, men, women and
children. Some or the adults are as old
as 75, some of the children as young as
seven or eight. There are first offenders
the amateurs who have not yet learned
the technique of shoplifting and the old
timers who have International records.
They work singly and in pairs and some
times In groups of four or more. There
tre the "placers," whose job it is to see to
I' that coveted articles are put within
easy reach of their confederates. And .
there are the "lifters," who carry away
the loot after it has been conveniently ar
ranged for them.
The shoplifting devices used by thieves
caught in a big city would fill a museum.
There is one collection that fills a room.
All of them were taken from shoplifters
caught in that store. The motley array
pi apparatus testifies to the inventive
turn of mind of "boosters." All of them
have worked out ingenious schemes to
make it easier for them to get away with
vhat they have lifted. The most popular
receptacle used by shoplifters the old
timers and the novices is a bag. It may
be a leather bag, or a canvas bag, or a
ret or cloth bag, or a paper bag. Bags!
Bags! Bags! They are piled up in hill
fashion. There are worn bags and new
ones, bags with false bottoms and trick
openings. And they are manipulated in
all sorts of ways. Some of these con
trivances and methods are going to be
described, for, as the chief detective of
this particular department store pointed
out, shoplifters themselves cannot benefit
by the information. It will only tend to
let them know that all their cunning
tricks and devices are old as the hills to
experienced and watchful store sleuths.
Take, for instance, a harmless looking
black leather bag, of the type usually
carried by women shoppers. It is a bit
larger than' the average handbag, and has
two leather straps. The chief of detec
tives gave a demonstration with this bag,
showing how it is used by the "booster"
fiom whom it was taken when she was
caught.
"We will pretend my desk here is a
counter. You are shouping. I am the
'booster.' I make a small purchase and
then open my bag to take out my money.
My bag rests on the counter thus. There.
Now I have found my money, replaced it
if my bag, shut my bag and am off. What
did I lift?"
He opened the bag, and in it was a box
of clips, an ink-well, a package of en
velopes, MY handkerchief, a few pencils
and a bunch of keys. The detective ex
plained: "You didn't see me work because there
is a hole at the 'bottom of the bag, and I
simply thrust my hand deep into the bag
and pulled things into it through the
opening in the bottom. Then I closed the
opening with a leather flap worked from
the inside. After the 'booster' who owned
this bag had filled it with merchandise
che retired to the ladies' rest room, and
fastened the opening securely with this
steel clasp." '
' Another bag taken from a shoplifter
was large, shirred at the top with a draw
string. This the shoplifter opened and
rttached to a counter by merely weigh t
iiig down the upper part of it with a bolt
of cloth, a book, or something else a bit
heavy. Thus it hung suspended over the
counter, with its top Open, but otherwise
out of sight. Then she preceeded to slide
things off the counter into it. When she
decided it was full enough, she simply,
pulled the dra'wjtring, removed the
weight, and strolred out, to all appear
ances a woman who had just completed
fier shopping.
A type of bag commonly used in the
shoplifting business is one made of can
vas, cloth or leather, which rolls up when
empty. It resembles a harmless music
roll. But a whole lot of merchandise can
be tucked away in it.
Another receptacle in the collection
was a paper suit-box, the type in which
a store or a tailor or a dry Cleaner wraps
up a suit or a gown. This box was
wrapped neatly, and tied with cord. The
man "booster" who carried it might, to
all appearances, have been a shopper who
had just purchased a suit in the men's
furnishing department of the store. How
ever, holes ere gouged out of the paper
box, and the outside wrapping was so slit '
that the booster could, while standing
Close to a counter or display table, cram
into the box silk hose, jewelry and other
smaller articles.
Newspapers and magazines are used by
"boosters," who, while examining certain
poods, deftly slide valuables handker
chiefs, laces, embroideries, 6ilks, gloves'
rnd other flat articles and thin' fabrics be
tween the leaves. Then they fold the pa
pers carelessly, tuck them under their
f.rms and stroll out. A few "boosters"
"use suitcases or handbags, but these are
not popular. They are too large, and
too liable to attract attention. Umbrellas
are used frequently, for much valuable
merchandise of the lighter sort can be
tucked into their depths.
Perhaps the most novel aijd most in
genious piece of shoplifters' apparatus in
the entire collection is a walking stick. It
looks harmless enough, but it was respon
sible for the theft of many thousands of
dollars' worth of liberty bonds from that
store during bond sales: It was used by
an adept "booster" who was known as
the "doctor." He was dressed and made
up to Iooklike a professional man. He
strolled through the store, jauntily swing
ing his cane, and to the average onlooker
appeared to be merely a prosperous pro
fessional man, probably commissioned to
do an errand for his wife. But, for some ,
reason or other, known only to store de
tectives, he aroused suspicion. He was
. .' J! V
sft 1 Wfti 4 rf lWft ' I' A Jf'tUl
Umbrellas are frequently used by shoplifters.
followed in his peregrinations around the
store. He finally paused in front of the
window of the cashier of the liberty bond
department. The cashier was out of his
cage. The "doctor" thrust his cane
through the wires, a small wire hook,
v-hich opened and clamped shut, shot out
from the bottom of the , cane, neatly
opened a drawer, hooked out a bunch of
bonds, and then dropped them within
. V
fkl I
A
easy reach of any passerby. The "doctor"
did not take them, but'walked swlfty on.
He was immediately followed by a con
federate, who, now that the bonds were
within easy reach, picked them up and
followed the doctor out.
-
The store detective took up their trail,
about a block away backed the "doctor"
into a corner, and immediately seized. his
Whenever the clerk turned to the
shelves one of the ,men would hide a
shirt under his coat.
trick cane. He was then arrested, and
later sentenced, for he had a long shop
lifting record. Store detectives never
seize a shoplifter in the store, but wait
until he or she has left the place andL
taken the stolen goods away from the
premises. Otherwise too many , excuses
would be offered. A lady with a bolt of
goods under her coat might say she was
just "taking it to the door" to see its
shade away from the electriu .lghts. Or
a man with a bundle of gloves might drop,,
them on the floor when seized, and
then say he couldn't help it if they "slid
off the counter." But no one, not even
some one afflicted with extreme absent
mindedness, could walk out into the
street with a silk dress tucked away in an
overcoat pocket, and offer the excuse that
be had "forgotten to pay."
A box with a false top was carried by
a young man shoplifter caught stealing in
this store. The box was of cardboard,
end wrapped and tied, and he carried it
under his arm. The box did not have a
cover, however, but a wrapped picture,
the size of the cover, was carried on top
if it. This the shoplifter slid to one side
whenever he wished. to poke a silk shirt
or some other coveted article into the box.
However, all "boosters" do not work
v-ith boxes, bags, newspapers, books,
canes and such articles. They enter a
store empty-handedr but come out with
costly coats flung over their arms. One
woman shoplifter took two valuable coats
from the same store, using the first "coat
to help her Vlift" the second one. On her
first trip she carelessly picked up a wool
velour coat, with an expensive gray
squirl collar, which was lying over, a
chair after a customer had tried it on,
flung it over her arm and walked out. A
few days later she entered the store
pgain, asked to try on coats, and laid the
coat which she had stolen several days
before over the back of a chair. After
preening herself , a while before a full
length mirror, she decided she did not
care for any of the coats, picked up the
-cne she had worn into the store, and man
aged at the same time to pick up and en
, fold with its roomy depths another coat
which was on the chair beneath it. She
had been foresighted enough on her first
trip to take an extra large size. This
time, however, she was watched by a
store detective, and about a half square
from the store found herself under arrest.
Silk, satin and other soft fabric dresses
are favorites with the "boosters." Mt is
so easy to take one, crumple It up Into a
soft,' small ball and cram it Into a capa
cious coat pocket. Some of the "boost
ers," after filling their bags and pockets,
adjourn to the ladies' rest room, where
they empty these receptacles and pin the
stolen property underneath their outer
skirts. Then they are ready for a second
load. If they are successful "boosters,"
they are pretty well weighted down with
merchandise when they depart.
Two men shoplifters were nabbed with
' a choice supply of silk shirts on their per
sons. They entered the store together,
went to the men's furnishing department '
and asked to look at a fine grade of silk
', shirt. The clerk placed shirt after shirt
upon the counter for their approval, and
whenever he turned to the shelves one of
the men would slide a shirt under his
coat. When he had a half dozen or more
tucked away, the other "booster" thanked
the clerk and said he guess he'd wait till
later to make a choice, and they both de
parted. Somewhere, somehow a keen eye
saw the sleight-of-hand performance, and
the silk shirts now form part of the
"booster" collection at this store. There
is a whole room full of fur and wool
coats, polo and sport coats, suits, capes,
dresses and . other merchandise which
have been taken from shoplifters. The
"loot" collection isn't limited to mer
chandise, however. There are also sev
eral bags of phoney nickels which store
ciooka dropped Into the telephone boxes
in the store booths. One of these phons
thieves was caught after he had success
fully "tapped" the telephone money boxes
for a long time.
There Is,also a strange collection of In
struments which were taken from many
"boosters" and pickpockets nabbed in this
store.- They are part3 of dope outfits. A
large proportion of "boosters" and pick
pockets are drug addicts. When they are
searched, hypodermic needles and drugs
are found on them.
The "picture gallery" of this particu-
- lar store contains another interesting col
lection. Photographs of the shoplifters
and other crooks caught in the store are
kept here, together with their entire his
tories. The women are a pretty hard
looking lot, and all seem to be a certain
type. Many of them are stout and coarse.
There is one slender negress who is so
emaciated that she looks as though she
might blow away at any moment. There
is also a young, baby-faced girl, who got
away with much loot before she was
caught, because of her innocent expres
sion. There is another peculiar looking
middle-aged woman, wearing a high,
peaked hat. She has a sly expression
around her eyes, and is one of the most
clever and elusive shoplifters in the coun
try. Many of them have nicknames by
which they are known, such as "Johnny,
the Dope," "Queen Annie," "Slick Susie"
and the like.
One of the elderly men had an inter
national record. He has been arrested
many times in this country, and in Eng
land, France, Germany, Spain and else
where tor shoplifting and pocket-picking.
Not all of these stores thieves are pro
fessionals, nor are all of them from the
lower ranks of society. There are the
"kleptomaiacs," those men and women
who have an insane and uncontrollable
!rropenslty to steal. Sometimes women
kleptomaniacs caught with merchandise
are wealthy, who are certainly not forced
by circumstances to take things which do
not belong to them. In their cases rela
tives are communicated with, who pay
Tor what they have stolen,- and who as
sure the store authorities that they will
send" their relative away for treatment, or
see to it 'that they do not repeat the of
fense. Children are dealt with very
leniently by this store and other depart
ment stores erf Philadelphia. In most
cases parents are communicated with, or
the house of detention is asked to take
care of the small thieves. It is only in
cases of professional thieves where the
police authorities are called in:
There is never any possible danger that
?r. innocent shopper will be suspected or
embarrassed in a store, for the detectives
- know "boosters" almost as soon as they
glance at them. But the real "booster"
n.ust have a care these days. His job is
setting more and more precarious as
more elaborate systems are perfected by
department stores for his apprehension.
He has got to do one of two things de
cide to reform and work for a living, or
be resigned to his fate and expect to b
nabbed and sentenced.
KEMAL PASHA
(Continued From FirBt Pa . )
tempt to promote in these nations an im
mediate overthrow of the existing system
m accordance with the Russian pattern.
Under these circumstances, while they
it'll wish to retain their ties with the
nationalist movements of the orient, the
communist leaders are following there an
entirely different policy a policy that
would be in consonance with their other
. activities.
Kemal is not a communist and nevef
was one. He had accepted assistance
from the Soviets on the same principle o
which they now counsel him to mak
peace with the allies to the extent ta
which he found it'Of advantage for the
furtherance of bis plans. But he always
TJite frankly mistrusted, the Russian
leaders, who, in turn, just as frankly mis
trusted him. The alliance between Mos
cow and Angora has always been, at best,
cne of exigency, in which neither side
concealed its understanding of the fact
tnat it was taking chances.
The relations between soviet Russia
and Kemalist Turkey, defined by the
treaties of Moscow and Kars r-by virtue
of which, incidentally, Important portions
of Russian Armenia were yielded to Tur
key have been outwardly entirely
friendly. The Moscotf leaders have re
peatedly expressed feelings of utmost
friendliness for the Turkish nationalist
leader and his movement, while Kemal, in
f. "message to the toiling masses of Rus
sia," transmitted through .the Russian
Soviet Telegraphic agency last July, said:
"The relations between new Turkey and
communist Russia are most sincere and
friendly. The foundations of this friend
ship are deep-seated and lie in the com
munity of interests of the two countries
and the fraternal feelings of the two peo
ples. Our order is very much like bol
shevism. Just as Russia has for her aim
the liberation of all lands' from their op
pressors and the good of the toiling
masses, so our government is actuated bj
the same desires."
But all this has. been merely on the sur
face. t.Jnderneath these diplomatic ameni
ties the situation has been quite different
According to an astronomer of thn
French Academy of Sciences, the new
rays in "yellow stars" are said to be much
more penetrating than the most peixe
tratiEg X-rajs.