Back in 2014, a retired jewelry salesman has faced 60 days jail statement and a $500 fine for feeding a homeless person. Ironically, some cities are more concerned about criminalizing generosity than enacting a tough legislature against jewelry industry criminals.
If you rob a bank of one dollar, it is considered a federal criminal offense. If you rob $300,000 worth of jewelry from a salesperson, it could be considered a misdemeanor in many jurisdictions around the nation, which is punishable, relatively speaking, with a slap on the wrist.
According to the FBI, the jewelry industry loses more than $100 million dollars each year because the crimes are often committed with weapons, sometimes may result in serious physical injury or death.
Most of the criminals are South Americans, Balkans and African Americans. They target salespersons and retail stores. The theft rings co-ordinate among themselves in several cities within the USA, mainly LA, NY, Miami and Houston. They create intercity “fences”,which means converting stolen goods into cash and then laundered in or out of the USA.
I am not asking to create new preventive tools or to reinvent the wheel. The FBI claims to have close partnerships with jewelry industry security experts—such as the Jewelers Security Alliance (JSA), which represents the security concerns of approximately 20,000 retail jewelry stores. Jewelers’ Mutual Insurance Company (JMI), and Gemological Institute of America (GIA). I suggest that the Diamond Club coordinates with the above entities.
Remember, robbery is not the only offense facing the jewelry industry. The list involves embezzlement (stealing by fraud) and other threats such as physical violence and kidnapping.
The federal statutes deal with federal offenses. My recommendations are to work with our local City officials urging them to:
1) Coordinate with Federal Agencies for a mutual exchange of information.
2) Pass local ordinances or legislatures to impose tougher sentences on criminals targeting the jewelry industry.
-Anise Garabet
Golden State Jewelry
