SHOPLIFTING.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19481, 30 November 1928, Page 9

SHOPLIFTING.

25 ARRESTS IN ONE NIGHT. SYDNEY'S RECORD. (FROM OITK OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, November 21. With tho approach of Christmas there has been a great increase in shoplifting in Sydney, already a menace serious enough to cause grave concern. A few arrests are made each day, but the record for Sydney was established last Friday night, the late shopping night, when the number of women arrested was twenty-five. This was not the result of any special "drive," but was due to tho vigilance of the house detectives employed by "the. various establishments, each working independently. It meant a busy two hours at the charge room at the Central Police Station, where, once again, many pathetic scenes were enacted. Singly and in pairs the offenders were brought along to the sergeant. There were some hardened offenders, but many of them were having then first experience of police methods and they cried bitterly and asked to be given another chance. These first offenders said that they had been sorely tempted by the display of apparently unprotected goods and they had been unable to resist the temptation to place some small article in their shopping bag. One woman said that she was short of money and was worried over the fact that unless she stole the goods she would be unable to givs Christmas presents to the members of her, family. There were striking contrasts in. the | nature of the charges. One woman was charged with stealing goods to the value of £lO. These were secreted all oyer her. Her bag was crammed with stolen property. The coat she was "wearing had not been paid for. She was wearing an expensive pair of garters which, it wag snown, she had not paid foi. Around her neck was a string of stolen pearls, and there were various trinkets in a bag which she had taken. She was detected stealing a card of safety pins, and the subsequent search revealed that her tastes generally were much wore extravagant than that.Thia woman was followed into the dock by another who was charged witii the theft of a string of pearls valued at fburpence. A shabbily-dressed woman' of 60 was assisted into the dock and on the counter J>efore her were a smart pair of snakeskin shoes, a. stylish hat, and a pair of silk stockings. Amidst her tears she explained that she wanted these things for her daughter. Most of the arrests were made intae clothing departments pf large' shops Dress material, shoes, hats, stockings, and "sundry other articles of women S apparel were among th<J articjes stolen, and very soon the charge room had the appearance of a departmental store, so varied was the assort® wit. Ju several cases two women wa/e arrested at the sanje time,' the shop deteotivea alleging', that while ope engaged the attendant in conversation over a prospective purchase the other _ was cunningly helping herself to goods exhibited on a counter close at hand. . \ • Most of the women were first offenders and not one of them. reoeivqd ®ny publicity when she appeared before the magistrate. This is a sore point with the proprietors of the large * stores. They say that their losses through shoplifting are enormous, and judging irom last-Friday's record there is some justification for the statement. It wthought that the utmost publicity would prove the greatest deterrent, and for that reason the Government has been asked'ta tighten up the law. It has even been suggested that woman convicted of shoplifting should he compelled to advertise the lenat nne of the city papers—that is, biw should l»av for t'he advertisement which | would be'inserted by the Authorities,