SHOPLIFTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 April 1938, Page 5

SHOPLIFTING

POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND Tr is nor surprising to learn says the official organ of the New Zealand Drapers’, Clothiers', and Root Retailers’ Federation, that retailers in the big scores in Britain are declaring War against the shoplifting evil, and lhat for the past twelve shops in all parts of (he country have been i i fect ing methods 1 for detecting I thieves. Alany of (lie larger stores jlutve introduced, systems' of communijcation lii'twcen counter hands and defectives, while otliers have 1 installed concealed "look-outs" from which dejtectives can keep a whole department tinder observation. It has been estimated that the retail trade loses nearly £ 1 ,()()i),oof) each year through shoplifting. There is no insurance to cover this huge loss. The federation has frequently drawn attention: to what, it describes as “the alarming growth of this evil in. New Zealand, and the ..lack of consistency t’.niong occupants of the' Bench here in dealing will) flagrant cases of barefaced stealing. “Some Magistrates have imposed salutary sentences, but others, have been excessively lenient or satisfied thcnisflvc.q with repeatedly uttering threats and warnings. When depressed. conditions prevailed and: poverty was common, it was not. so surprising to hear of frequent cases, but 1 with growing prospecity it comes as l a surprise to find tlie evil on the increase. “There was an astoiishing case recently in where a married woman of 33, who was found to be in possession of £217 in cash when arrested, had 1 systematically robbed numerous stores in other places, and the Court resembled a. departmental store when the loot was displayed by the police.

A CASE OF “NERVE” “The amazing feature of this case was that the sulprit would return to the stores' where she had 1 stolen the good's, and try to sell them back to the retailer for cash, on the plea that her husband had' duplicated an order. It was an astonishing climax when the thief’s counsel pleaded for probation on the grounds that the accused' suffered! from ’nerves;!’ The Magistrate was fully; justified in considering that a. woman with a nerve like that needed: a long rest and reformative treatment, but in other cases' almost as flagrant*, we find probation given or fines imposed, and sometimes even a suppression of the names of the offenders. “It might assist our shopkeepers in coping with the evil if the co-opera-tion of the police could l be secured to protect their property, and if detectives could systematically stroll round our stores at busy periods some good work .might be accomplished. Such protective measures,’ might be productive of more real good than their admirable and well-intentioned! activities in the direction of detecting small shopkeepers selling' lollies or cigarettesi at times when such trading is- a breach of law'and- order.”