NEW CRIME TREND IS TRULY BELOW THE BELT

Police Department Circulates Memo Warning Officers To Watch For Drug
Dealers Who Use Underwear With Secret Pockets

Brooklyn police officers were involved in the ultimate "debriefing"
last month when a prisoner being questioned told them about the latest
in criminal fashion: underwear with secret pockets.

A memo circulated to all members of the New York Police Department,
and viewed by The Wall Street Journal, warns officers to be aware that
"drug dealers are using underwear with secret pockets sold in stores
from several different companies to hold drugs and small weapons."

Instead of the standard light pat-downs around suspects' waistbands,
the knowledge that this secret underwear exists is going to cause
police to have to undertake more thorough searches of some suspects,
said Capt. Vincent Patti, commanding officer of an area covering
several housing projects in the Brownsville and East New York sections
of Brooklyn.

The underwear discovery came on July 8, as a juvenile arrested on drug
charges was debriefed by officers. In addition to offering
intelligence on drug dealing and guns in the area, "he tells them
about this secret pocket underwear," Mr. Patti said.

"This was all new to us," the captain said. "Once we got wind of this,
the decision was made to notify the whole department about what was
going on."

Police research, he said, shows that secret pocketed underwear comes
in a variety of styles-briefs, boxers, thongs-and is sold by dozens of
companies.

One mentioned prominently in the Officer Safety Alert memo was a brand
called "Stashitwear."

Company owner Phillip Scott, 55, of Bonifay, Fla., said he has been
selling pocketed underwear since 2006. He sells his underwear for $14
a pair, less if you buy wholesale.

Its target market is not drug dealers, says Mr. Scott, who uses the
name "Clint" online.

"I always stashed my money when traveling so I don't lose it or get
pick-pocketed," Mr. Scott said.

After he lost his wallet on a trip a few years back, Mr. Scott says he
searched the Internet for ways to stash his cash, license, credit
cards and important documents, but all he could find was a money belt
or hats that had hidden compartments.

"I was just looking at a pair of briefs one day and came up with the
idea," he said. "It did not work very well [with briefs], so I tried
it on boxer briefs and it was good."

The underwear contains a pocket with a six-to eight-inch opening at
the waistband that goes 12 to 14 inches deep, depending on the size of
the underwear.

The pocket goes all the way down the front and up the back side.
According to the website: "this basically makes your whole crotch area
a secret place for your valuables."

Or, as the NYPD's Mr. Patti says: "A lot of drugs or a small .38 or
.22 caliber handgun. ... They're not advertising these things for drug
dealers but they have to know they're going to be used by some people
who break the law." Mr. Scott claimed he has "never had anyone even
hint at illegal activity for their purchases."

He said he thinks he has only had one or two customers in New York
City.

"It is kind of weird that the NYPD would specifically mention me," he
said.

After speaking with a reporter, the Stashitwear owner had his website
changed. The photo of Mr. Scott in which he resembled a hillbilly was
replaced with one of him wearing sunglasses, a white shirt and tie.

Underneath the picture, a new message was also posted: "Order yours
now before New York orders them all! Wow! Thanks New York."