SEVEN ARRESTED FOR THEFTS FROM TRAVELING JEWELRY SALESPERSONS
Newport News, VA - March 20, 2012
Federal prosecutors announced that seven suspects had been charged in connection with operating a theft ring based in Richmond, VA that stole from traveling jewelry salespersons. Prosecutors frported that the suspects stole more than $4.6 million in jewelry from traveling salespersons in VA and at least six other states, including New York, new Jersey, North Carolina, Maryland, Tennessee and California. Those charged had initial court appearances in Newport News, VA on March 20th. Prosecutors further reported that after a sucessful robbery, members of the ring would travel to New York to sell the merchandise.

SEVEN SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR SMASH AND GRAB ROBBERIES
Montclair, CA - March 2012
Seven suspects in their 20s, suspected of smash and grab robberies in Nevada, were arrested by Monclair, CA police investigating a 02/23/12 smash and grab robbery in Monclair in which 23 high-end watches were taken. On March 13th one suspect was arrested and charged with robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit a felony. Following surveillance of his residence, five suspects from Las Vegas were located and arrested, and one suspect was arrested in Los Angeles.

Monclair police found evidence that the suspects were planning to rob a jewelry store in the Glendale Galleria and another in San Francisco. Two of the watches stolen in the Henderson, NV robbery were located in a pawn shop in San Diego, and police determined that of the 23 high-end watches stolen in Montclair, 19 were sold to a jewelry broker in Los Angeles.

TWO ROBBERIES OF TRAVELING SALESPERSONS
Arcadia, CA – March 14, 2012
At 12:30 p.m. three male suspects wearing sweatshirts with hoods approached a car in a parking lot of a shopping center in which two jewelry salespersons were sitting. The suspects used a crowbar or other object to smash out the windows. One of the suspects then reached in and took a bag containing jewelry from the salespersons’ car. The salespersons suffered minor injuries in the attack. The suspects fled in a silver or white car, possibly a Honda or Toyota, with paper dealer license plates. Anyone with information is asked to call the Arcadia Police at 626-574-5150.

Dallas, TX – March 15, 2012
A diamond salesperson was robbed leaving the 5580 LBJ Building.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Following a sales call, a salesperson should carefully survey the area outside where his or her vehicle is parked to see if there are suspicious people or vehicles in the area. If the area appears to be clear, salespersons should get in their vehicles as quickly as possible, and not remain sitting in a parked vehicle. They should immediately drive from the area and use evasive driving techniques, such as abrupt U-Turns, extremely slow driving, etc. to make sure they are not being followed.

THREE SUSPECTS RUN WITH FOUR HIGH-END WATCHES
Pembroke Pines, FL – March 14, 2012
At 4:30 p.m. three black male suspects were in a jewelry exchange inside a mall and asked to see high-end watches. When they were being shown the watches and trying them on, they grabbed four watches and ran out of the store and the mall to a waiting getaway car. The vehicle was described as a black Nissan with custom rims. If you have information contact the Pembroke Pines Police Department at 954-431-2200.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Show only one item at a time, especially high-end merchandise, regardless of how many “customers” are in each group.
2. Cameras posted at ceiling level will take useless images of the tops of the heads of suspects, who are often wearing caps. Have surveillance cameras at eye level that are able to take full face photos. One excellent place for a camera is at the door that can capture full face images as suspects leave the store.

BURGLARS ENTER JEWELRY STORE FROM ADJOINING EMPTY STORE
Parker, CO – March 26, 2012
Two while male burglars gained entry to a jewelry store through a common wall of a vacant retail space next door. The burglars escaped in a dark-colored SUV. If you have information, please contact the Parker Police Department, Detective Penny VanDenBerg at 303-805-6560 or Detective Bev Wilson at 303-805-6561.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Empty premises next to a jewelry store create a greatly heightened risk of burglary. Jewelers must make sure that merchandise is not left out overnight. Jewelers must also make sure that their store has alarm coverage of the entire store, that there is line security in place, and that the safe is of a sufficiently high UL rating to be adequate for their level of inventory.

BILLING CLERK ARRESTED IN INTERNAL THEFT
Providence, RI – March 2012
A billing clerk was arrested and charged with taking small pieces of gold and silver jewelry from the jewelry design and manufacturing firm for which she had worked for 23 years. She is alleged to have taken $250,000 worth of merchandise between June 2011 and March 2012. She was charged with larceny and access to a computer for fraudulent purposes. Police stated that she was able to avoid going through the regular metal detectors at the facility, and then erased invoices and adjusted inventories to conceal the theft.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Even long time and highly trusted employees can pose an internal theft risk.
2. No employee, even a “trusted” one, should be able to avoid the standard security procedures at a facility.