SHOPLIFTING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 10, 13 January 1932, Page 5

SHOPLIFTING

SYDNEY'S .EPIDEMIC

WORST IN HISTORY

(From "The Post's", Representative.) SYDNEY, sth January. With fourteen persons charged within five hours one day this week —with 71 arrests in five days—and with 120 charges since-7th December, Syducy has been experiencing'- tho worst epidemic of shoplifting in its history. The -figures arc amazing, and they relate to tho whole of tho metropolitan area, but do not tako into account the largo number of petty.cases in which uo police action is taken by the proprietors. It is estimated that within the last month well over £15,000 worth of goods has been stolen, and during this week, when Christmas shopping has been at its height, it is likely tha^t the losses have not been less than £1000 a day. The figures seem incredible, but they are vouched for by one of the leading detectives; whose estimate is endorsed by leading shop inspectors. It is not only the big stores that are suffering, but the smaller ones as well, particularly those in which, the system of detection has not been well organised. It is safe to say that for every shoplifter", caught scores, escape. The evil has become so pronounced that the departmental stores omploy a staff of detectives, who minglo with the crowd as ordinary'shoppers, all the time keeping a watchful' eye on the hundreds of customers. The detection system in one great city store costs the firm £5000 a year—-"and it is Worth it," said the manager the other: day. He explained that the shoplifters, indulged in all sorts of tricks, iftnd that they were very difficult to.catch. The inspectors had to proceed in every instance with the utmost care for fear of making a mistake and so accusing a perfectly honest customer of a- crime when lie or she had in ho way offended.

Nothing; is too^big, it would seem, and nothing too, small to warrant attention from the shoplifter. The other, day a woman was sent" to gaol for twelve months for the theft of beads valued at sixpence; But it was her thirtieth'offence in: three years. The strangest-.case for many a long day was mentioned in.the Court the other day, when a -woman'was charged with the theft -of lavhaih.vvSne had concealed it beneath.her skirts :.,TJiat ham cost her six months' hard labour, so she is unlikely to-have nam< for Christmas after all. Many of tho s women who are caught "tell' pitiful" tafes to the magistrates; -but-the magistrates have become hardened, and arc less lenient today than they used' to rbe. Among the shoplifters /women:'" predominate, and last week a woman b£ 75 was arrested. The police alleged that she had been a shoplifter or ten. .years. When her room was. searched scores of articles, the majority of, thejii worth about one shilling., each, were, found. A favourite 'dodge/.aftion'g wonic&JiiJiifQ'r one to spread out a roll of silk anil hold it up to the.' light as ftioiigh ■ exaiiiiriiiig it. It acts as a'cloak for her confrere while she" snatches other rolls from the counter and crams tljem ji\to.-.ji suitcase.