CrimeOct 02, 2020
Tips for Burglary Prevention as Professionals ‘Return to Work’ CrimeDec 17, 2020
Professional Gangs Sent Industry Dollar Losses Soaring in 2019
Overall, though, the number of crimes was essentially flat and for the first time in decades, no industry personnel were murdered while on the job.
New York—The U.S. jewelry industry saw dollar losses from crime almost double last year, driven by a spike in the number of organized, professional gangs pulling off multimillion-dollar burglaries.
According to the annual crime report for 2019 compiled by the Jewelers’ Security Alliance, dollar losses due to crimes against the industry totaled $101 million in 2019, up 89 percent from $53.4 million in 2018.
The last time annual industry losses topped $100 million was 2009, JSA statistics show.
Burglary losses were the biggest contributor to the jump, more than tripling from $11.6 million in 2018 to $40.5 million in 2019.
JSA President John J. Kennedy said a surge in the number of burglary gangs from South America, particularly from Chile, operating in the United States was the main driver behind the spike.
These crews are sophisticated.
They can disable entire electrical systems in jewelry stores—something jewelers were well aware of last year, as JSA sent out a number of alerts about jewelry stores having their power lines cut—knocking out both the alarms and the cameras.
Once inside stores, these gangs can also get into safes, enabling them to essential clean out a store’s entire inventory and make off with millions.
JSA’s report shows that the number of safe attack burglaries more than tripled, increasing from 13 in 2018 to 44 in 2019. The average loss from a safe attack burglary grew from $221,000 to $491,000.
“Most jewelers do not have adequate safes,” Kennedy noted. “The ratings [the safes] have are too low.”
He also pointed out that it doesn’t take a lot of gangs to drive up dollar losses in the jewelry, where the total number of crimes committed against the industry per year—in 2019, 1,438—is relatively low when compared with the overall scope of crime nationwide.
“We’re not talking about huge numbers compared with car thefts or commercial break-ins. You’re talking about a relatively small number of cases,” he said. “A small number of gangs can drive a big increase in dollar losses, and that’s what we had.”
While safe robberies and other high-dollar heists caused losses to soar last year, overall 2019 was not a particularly violent or unsafe year for the U.S. jewelry industry.
The number of crimes committed against the industry was essentially flat year-over-year, 1,441 in 2018 compared with 1,438 in 2019.
And JSA recorded zero homicides of jewelers, which is rare and hasn’t happened in decades.
JSA released its annual crime report for 2019 earlier this month.
Normally published in the fall, pulling it together this year was “particularly challenging” given the disruptions caused by COVID-19, Kennedy said.
Related stories will be right here …
According to the annual crime report for 2019 compiled by the Jewelers’ Security Alliance, dollar losses due to crimes against the industry totaled $101 million in 2019, up 89 percent from $53.4 million in 2018.
The last time annual industry losses topped $100 million was 2009, JSA statistics show.
Burglary losses were the biggest contributor to the jump, more than tripling from $11.6 million in 2018 to $40.5 million in 2019.
JSA President John J. Kennedy said a surge in the number of burglary gangs from South America, particularly from Chile, operating in the United States was the main driver behind the spike.
These crews are sophisticated.
They can disable entire electrical systems in jewelry stores—something jewelers were well aware of last year, as JSA sent out a number of alerts about jewelry stores having their power lines cut—knocking out both the alarms and the cameras.
Once inside stores, these gangs can also get into safes, enabling them to essential clean out a store’s entire inventory and make off with millions.
JSA’s report shows that the number of safe attack burglaries more than tripled, increasing from 13 in 2018 to 44 in 2019. The average loss from a safe attack burglary grew from $221,000 to $491,000.
“Most jewelers do not have adequate safes,” Kennedy noted. “The ratings [the safes] have are too low.”
He also pointed out that it doesn’t take a lot of gangs to drive up dollar losses in the jewelry, where the total number of crimes committed against the industry per year—in 2019, 1,438—is relatively low when compared with the overall scope of crime nationwide.
“We’re not talking about huge numbers compared with car thefts or commercial break-ins. You’re talking about a relatively small number of cases,” he said. “A small number of gangs can drive a big increase in dollar losses, and that’s what we had.”
While safe robberies and other high-dollar heists caused losses to soar last year, overall 2019 was not a particularly violent or unsafe year for the U.S. jewelry industry.
The number of crimes committed against the industry was essentially flat year-over-year, 1,441 in 2018 compared with 1,438 in 2019.
And JSA recorded zero homicides of jewelers, which is rare and hasn’t happened in decades.
JSA released its annual crime report for 2019 earlier this month.
Normally published in the fall, pulling it together this year was “particularly challenging” given the disruptions caused by COVID-19, Kennedy said.
JSA Senior Crime Analyst Ryan Ruddock and Vice President Scott Guginsky authored the report.
Other highlights include the following.
— Smash-and-grab robberies also contributed to the spike in dollar losses, Kennedy said, as jewelers stand to lose a lot when criminals begin destroying showcases full of product.
The number of smash-and-grabs was essentially flat year-over-year, 129 in 2018 vs. 130 in 2019. Nearly half of them (59) happened at mall jewelry stores.
— While there were no homicides of jewelry industry personnel on the job in 2019, one customer, two bystanders and three robbers were killed.
— The number of three-minute burglaries (so named because that’s how long they take to commit) increased 11 percent year-over-year, from 134 to 148, with the average loss from these incidences rising from $21,000 to $27,000.
B3Ms usually happen in the middle of the night by smashing through a glass front door or window of a store.
— The number of grab-and-run thefts was down slightly year-over-year, slipping 4 percent from 641 to 616. While the average loss from a grab-and-run is around $10,000, there was one in Washington state that cost a jeweler $183,000.
Grab-and-runs made up the bulk (72 percent) of all thefts in 2019.
— JSA received one report of a major trade show loss, $400,000 at a trade show held in Los Angeles in January of last year.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
Looking ahead to 2021, Kennedy said he expects little activity in the first part of the year as people stay home to weather another wave of COVID-19 and stores potentially are forced to closed again.
“I can’t predict the future but if I were to look into my crystal ball, I would say in the first part of the year, it’s going to be quiet again,” he said.
But he expects that to change in the back half of the year, as criminals who have been dormant for months will be in need of money.
“If ‘19 was any harbinger, we can say that 2021 might [bring] very significant losses,” Kennedy said.
“Jewelers should be very careful to make sure their alarm systems work. They should test them and they should make sure their whole premises is covered.”
A copy of the entire report is available on the JSA website.
More on Crime
The Latest
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Claire’s Finds Buyer, Could Save up to 950 StoresThe retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Target Names New CEO as Sales Continue to Lag Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.
Policies & IssuesAug 21, 2025
JA, IDMA Talk Tariffs With Execs in DC The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Pops Up at 2025 US OpenThe pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.
Weekly QuizAug 15, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsAug 20, 2025
Bellman’s Jewelers Opens Second Store After COO's TikTok Takes OffThe New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”
WatchesAug 20, 2025
Oris Launches Watch Benefiting NYC Harbor Oyster RestorationThe new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2025
Take the Jewelers for Children ‘Trinity of Purpose’ ChallengeParticipants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.
SourcingAug 19, 2025
Dubai’s Jemora Group Buys Diamond Miner LucapaThe investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.
ColumnistsAug 19, 2025
Peter Smith: The Arrival Fallacy and Jewelry RetailSmith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.
MajorsAug 19, 2025
MJSA Apprenticeship Program Is Nationally RecognizedThe MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
WatchesAug 19, 2025
Casio America Names New Timepiece Division ManagerCasio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.
MajorsAug 18, 2025
Verragio’s Michael Barabash, a ‘Kind Soul,’ Dies at 58Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.
CollectionsAug 18, 2025
John Hardy’s New ‘Dot’ Collection Is on PointOriginally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.
Events & AwardsAug 18, 2025
IJO Announces 2025 Vendor of the YearAllison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.
EditorsAug 15, 2025
Piece of the Week: Etho Maria’s Showgirl-Approved Ruby Drop Earrings Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing DirectorNicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut DiamondModel Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of DirectorsThe board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Colorado Jeweler, Whiskey Maker Collab on Ring GiveawayThree winners will receive a custom ring from Honest Hands Ring Co. inlaid with a piece of history from Denver-based distillery Stranahan’s.
SurveysAug 13, 2025
These Are The 25 Hottest Retailers, Says NRFJD Sports and Wawa were among the fastest-growing retail companies in the U.S. last year.
