U.S. Jewel Theft

According to the Jewelers’ Security Alliance, crimes against U.S. jewelry firms last year resulted in losses of nearly $100 million.  That number is one reason why the FBI has assigned a task force to help solve the problem of jewel theft.

“This type of theft is something of a unique crime category for the FBI,” said Special Agent Frank Aimaro, who supervises the Jewelry and Gem Task Force in Los Angeles in conjunction with the LAPD.  “It’s a serious issue, resulting in substantial losses.”

A case in point happened in Columbus, Ohio where a jewelry salesman stopped at a restaurant after attending a trade show.  He was sitting in his car in the parking lot when a vehicle pulled up behind him.  Masked men then jumped out of the vehicle, shattered the salesman’s driver-side window, and held him while their accomplices smashed the back window and grabbed two suitcases with gems worth $3.7 million.

The FBI says the Ohio robbery was just another day’s work for gangs of thieves—mostly Colombian nationals in the U.S. illegally—who prey on traveling jewelry salespeople.  This particular gang was a LA group, which reportedly committed about 45 heists last year, netting about $15 million.  “And that’s just the L.A. crew,” Aimaro said.  “You also have crews from New York, Miami, Houston, and Chicago.”  

Investigators says the thieves use phony identities, rental cars, and sophisticated surveillance techniques.  “When they rob, they would rather not be violent, but they will resort to violence if necessary.”