FEMALE SHOPLIFTERS

Evening Star, Issue 18807, 4 December 1924, Page 5

FEMALE SHOPLIFTERS

THREE SENT TO GAOL. VARIOUS VIEWS ON SENTENCE. [Special to the ‘ Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, December 3, In the Magistrate’s Court to-day Mr Wyveru Wilson sentenced three women— Vera Helmling (aged thirty-six), Isabel Nixon (forty-two), and Emma Lindsay (iifty-two)—each to one month’s imprisonment for shoplifting in the D. 1.0. and Ballantyne’s. Nixon had a previous conviction against her for shoplifting. The husbands of two of the women are in good fiiian -Gl positions. The sentence ha? caused a good deal of comment. A reporter discussed the matter to-night with a leading member of the Bar,’ who stated that there was a policy in the law in New Zealand that a first offender should always be given a char.re of redemption where the case did not show fixed criminal intent. “ Why,” he said, “ probation is in some cases oven given In postal officers who had betrayed their (rust. The policy was to avoid .making a criminal of a. woman by putting a first offender in gaol. In shop lifting cases there was usually a powerful sudden impulse. The whole idea of giving such heavy punishment seemed to be to protect, the 11 wretched shopkeeper ” who foolishly placed his goods right under the noses of the people for his own profit, charging very good prices for his wares. Shopkeepers’ own dorks very often stole money, and what did they get in the way of punishment? Why, merely probation in many cases. There should he no line of demarcation drawn. He. considered that the sentences imposed in to-day’s cases were far too heavy. It was contrary to the humane theory that first offenders should be given a chance, and punished by (he infliction of a fine—not herded with criminals whose influence was far from uplifting and far from bkcly to make them penitent.’’ “I consider that (he magistrate is to be commended for his pluck in giving these women a month's imprisonment,” said the manager of a big drapery establishment to-night, 11 He has done the right thing.” Another drapery house was looking for a person who had stolen another piece of silk, he continued, and they intended to make an example of the thief if caught, no matter who he or she might be. Drapers had no means of protect : ng themselves. Dishonest people could take goods off the counters right in front, of the assistants" noses without a chance, or very little chance, of catching the thieves. .About the only preventive measure that could lie taken was for tho drapery houses to combine in (he employment, of two or three detectives, who could, bo on (be watch all the time. ‘Female shoplift e v s." lie said, “get. cheekier and cheekier with every theft, and finally land themselves into serious tionbie." It was very seldom that men were offenders. he said. The work was generally, if not always, (lint of women, who would even take the soap and towels out of the lavatories. They seemed to have no conscience.