Thank
God
I for the man entering the jail cell is a
professional thief typical of thousands of his kind as devoted years of what might
have been a productive
and useful life to the development of his skill as a shoplifter is made the great
deal his associates in crime.
I'm
Detective on a city police department is part of a shocking details his job is a
constant battle against. Have made shoplifting a multi-million dollar business.
Officer he recognizes the professionals as a formidable foe of legitimate commerce
by conservative estimate the nation's retailers lose in excess of two hundred fifty
million dollars annually to shoplifters in his jail cell.
Business is temporarily at a standstill.
He's been here before
and will almost certainly return to this many others of his kind.
He has consistently evaded a lengthy jail sentence after short terms of in prison
is back on the street again.
On the table was gathered by this professional shoplifter during a few hours tour
of business houses in an average city on this trip.
It might have been something different. Tomorrow.
Some of his victims will be unaware of their losses until notified by police.
Here's where the his trade employing a wide variety of techniques to avoid
detection while he may select a store for items which are easily fenced
or sold for a quick profit. He'll strike wherever an opportunity presents itself.
Sometimes his method is quite simple. Most of the.
They email of the species has the protracted coloring of a typical woman shopper
without a purse when she entered the store she selects a purse
and removes the tags.
While the clerk is occupied with a paying customer a field personal articles from
her own pockets give the person a new owner
by pretending interest in a back shelf item.
The thief may turn McClary just long enough to accomplish her purpose.
In most stores shoppers are encouraged to look over the merchandise.
But
when the boaster is left to browse on attended there'll be empty hangers in the clothes
rack
teenaged amateurs are a special problem.
Usually in groups they move quickly on displays of small attractive item
the profession. No boaster works efficiently
and with considerable poise from the moment she enters the store.
Ladies at a bargain table have no time to watch for shoplifting or.
To store personnel and customers. She's just part of the crowd.
But the bird's eye view tells another story.
An attractive customer is courteously assisted in her careful selection of three
dresses.
They dress her choice goes under her own
fitness.
Now she'll make sure the clerk is busy. She returns to dress as. To the rack.
Dave's are always eager to capitalize on the negligence of others a purse put aside
for just a moment may be an added bonus for the older booster.
Here's an invitation to anything.
And as the purse goes so goes the sale.
Or
or
when it's worn by a professional shoplifter a full skirt may cover a lot more than
you think bloomers under the skirt hold a lot of merchandise.
Now a clever poster uses a gimmick.
Which completely shields the theft from all
but the sharpest I've watched closely.
Here's how it was done.
Another favorite of the trade is the trick box a carefully prepared parcel with a
spring flat for easy loading it looks like just another package
when carried by the poster.
He chooses technical volumes and books which will have a good resale value.
On another day he may use the box to steal something else.
Designed to attract the legitimate customer
that counter display also attracts the boaster
baby clothes would seem to be the intended purpose of this casual shopper.
But again. Appearances are deceiving.
Maybe there's a little old lady who tankers constantly through the merchandise
and has never been known to make a purchase. She's a nuisance and she knows that.
The point is you may not know a boaster when you see one.
A proven aide to many a thief is that talk of war nonchalantly over one shoulder.
Among those who consider shoplifting the most lucrative of all crimes the most
consistent money maker is the drug addict whose habit may cost him more than one
hundred dollars a day he will rely upon his talent as a booster to keep himself
supplied with drugs.
While looking over a tray of expensive Rings has a ring hidden in one hand.
As he turns the clerk.
He takes a costly ring from the tray and replaces it with the one similar apparent.
Later a while bargain with an unsuspecting buyer for a handsome profit on the
stolen ring.
They eventually target of this poster is one of much greater value than a handcart
chip.
But this small purchases made in order to obtain a sale slip an essential part of
his operation for which he's already paid. This is fact not fiction.
It's happened many times.
Had no trouble in getting out of the store with a television set.
Now he'll settle for the best price he can get if he didn't have a buyer in mind
when he made his boast he'll have no trouble finding one.
It's just a matter of knowing the right people for a share in the profits his
connection will provide a customer who will ask no question.
At just the right moment.
Somewhere in the thousands who cross the stars threshold.
There is a professional thief. Perhaps she is separated from.
Accomplice trying something on our own.
Realizing that she's been seen.
She heads for the door with an alert floor walker in pursuit.
But the thief has planned for just such an emergency and says
that a counter where her accomplice is waiting.
And the floor walker pursues her.
Team's work with precision.
Charming boaster looks over a few sweaters
and accomplice waits for her signal the
clerk's attention is diverted the signal is passed
and the accomplice moves into action.
Another team may use a man to engage a clerk then lead him away from the scene so
that his partner may move in.
The well dressed villain removes several suits from the rack then boldly creates
the impression
that he is a sales representative leaving with sample clothing he couldn't sell.
And here come the creek.
Three men enter the store
and take different routes to attract clerks in the intended area of operation.
The fourth partner in crime lags behind to make sure
that his confederates are doing their job.
Now and he can go about his work knowing
that he won't be bothered with sales people.
Later the team will meet to share the load by operations such as this a good
boaster may easily nest in excess of two hundred dollars per day.
For many who are jailed for criminal offenses released from custody means the
beginning of a new way of life in the case of the professional thief however the
brief jail terms which interrupt this career seldom cause him to seek legitimate
employment.
In most cases he won't be unimpressed by the real purpose of his jail sentence.
Officially he has paid his debt to society.
He'll be back in one city
or another looking for a chance to make a score to steal wherever he has the
opportunity boasting.
Is his business.