IN "LOOK-OUTS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 10

IN "LOOK-OUTS."

WAR ON SHOPLIFTERS. LONDON CAMPAIGN. STORES' BIG iLOSSES. (Special.—By Air Mall.) LONDON, February 26. The big London stores have declared war on shoplifters. For the past 12 months shops in all parts of the country have been perfecting thair methods for detecting thieves. Many of the larger stores, have introduced systems of communication between counter hands and detectives, while others have installed concealed "look-outs" from which detectives can keep a whole department under observation. It lias been estimated that the retail trade loses nearly £1,000.000 each year through shoplifting. There is no insurance to cover this huge loss. One Birmingham store alone recently estimated its own an-mal loss to be more than £5000, whiie many of the larjre London stores suffer losses each year amounting to twice this figure. Worst Offenders. A reporter who discussed the problem with sales managers in a number of the larger stores was told the following facts about shoplifting:— Eighty-five per cent of shoplifters are women. Middle-aged -women are the worst offenders. Whole families sometimes work together in a gang, the baby's perambulator being used in which to stow away the "loot." , \ • Women are often assisted by children, who are trained to divert the assistant's attention. Professional women shoplifters frequently wear specially designed, clothes, with double skirts and deep pockets in the lining of their' coats. As. to the methods adopted by the shoplifters, it appears that the lingerie thief often assumes modesty and asks to be left alone in a cubicle to try on expensive underwear. She not only tries it on, but keeps it on, slipping out of the shop before the assistant has had time to check over the rejected goods. Invented a Box. The dre9s thief adopts a similar method, and puts on as many frocks as she can under her coat. Some shoplifting cases are not without humour. A Plymouth man invented a "shoplifting box," and was so pleased with it that he hastened to London to try it out. There he was caught first time. "We have been collecting information for our members for a long time to get a true picture of the problem," said Mr. A. Gowil, secretary of the Drapers' Chamber of Trade. "Recently we sent in a report to the Home Office based on this information.

"Traders are generally- feeling more ea6y about prosecutions, because the magistrates are beginning -to deal more suitably; with -cases." V