From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, December 19: Special efforts are being made by law enforcement to address the “light-fingered” activities of shoplifters, purse openers, and pickpockets who frequent the stores and public places in the downtown district at the height of the Christmas shopping season. A squad of detectives and women police have been detailed to the stores, while police officers and patrolmen have been assigned to handle crowds in the downtown business area. Holiday thievery usually results from carelessness, and detective inspector Jerry Kinney appealed to the shopping public to be watchful and avoid dangling their handbags or throwing pocketbooks into shopping baskets. The most prevalent form of thievery is the theft of packages and clothing from automobiles parked in the downtown district. Shoppers are cautioned to avoid crowds and to keep their minds on their packages and pocketbooks.