CROOKS THRIVING IN BERLIN

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1948, Page 7

CROOKS THRIVING IN BERLIN

Crooks are reaping rich harvests in Berlin. Lonesome women are their chief victims. To a great extent, the crooks’ successes is attributable to the naivety and gullibility of their victims. However, there is not much that can be done for lonesome girls in Germany’s male-short population except to provide more steady young men. The official Soviet newspaper, "Taegliche Rundschau,” surveying Berlin’s crime picture, said petty cent, if people were “more distrustthefts could be reduced by 50 per ful.” It had an especially unsympathetic world for man-hungry young wdmen who “after three dances with a new acquaintance take him home and then are astonished if, next day, he has made off with their valuables and perhaps part of their furniture.” Another trick of “attractive young men” who are met through bureaus. is to make off with the coats of their woman companions after they are left in dance-hall cloakrooms. Perhaps the most frequent “confidence games” are iflayed with food ration cards. A trickster will approach a citizen and offer him a plan for getting double his ration on the card. When the trusting person parts with his card it is for good—the crook never returns. Another well-known crook is the fake policeman. Hardly a day passes but the newspapers report victims of raids by bogus policemen wno dupe, citizens into opening their homes for searches which eventually cost them dearly—in food, tobacco, and money which are confiscated. Substitute for Flaked Rice Pudding! 3 tablespoons “HOLLY” Rolled Oats, pint boiling milk. Mix; stand one hour. Add two beaten eggs, tablespoon sugar, flavouring essence; bake as custard. Ask for “HOLLY” Brand Rolled Oats. —1