Report: Crimes Against Jewelers Up In 2008, Organized Gangs Main Cause

The Jewelers' Security Alliance recently released its 2008 Annual Crime Report covering crime against the jewelry industry in the U.S. The total number of crimes against the industry increased 16.6 percent, with total dollar losses of $103.5 million.

"The popular wisdom is that crime will rise when economic times are tough, however history has shown that the incidence of crime against the jewelry industry is more complicated than that,” said John Kennedy, president of the Jewelers' Security Alliance. “It is extraordinarily rare, for example, for someone who has lost their job or had their house foreclosed to commit an armed robbery of a jewelry store.

"Almost all major crimes against the jewelry industry, including armed robberies, safe burglaries and attacks on traveling salespersons are committed by organized professional gangs that are not motivated by changes in the economy. The number of these crimes fluctuates yearly, but the totals over many years do not show a close correlation with economic conditions."

The report breaks down by state the 1,505 crimes reported to JSA for 2008. The state with the most reported crimes against jewelry firms was California, with 259 crimes, followed by Florida, Texas and New York. There were 425 arrests of criminals involved in the 1505 crimes, down slightly from 446 arrests in 2007.

Ten years ago an average of 10-15 jewelers were killed each year during robberies. That number has steadily declined to the point that two jewelers were killed in the U.S. in 2008. JSA attributes this major, long-term decline in violence against the industry to the successful efforts of the FBI and local law enforcement agencies in combating violent, organized criminal gangs.

However, JSA believes that lower dollar crimes against the industry, such as grab and runs, can easily be committed by amateurs, and JSA is seeing a sharp increase in this type of crime.

Grab and run crimes reported one of the largest increases in any category, increasing 49 percent in 2008 to a total of 362 reported cases.

Featured

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Read Now

  • The Impact of Convergence Between IT and Physical Security

    For years, the worlds of physical security and information technology (IT) remained separate. While they shared common goals and interests, they often worked in silos. Read Now

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.