The Jeweler’s Security Alliance recently released its 2021 Annual Crime Report. The report reveals that an increased number of crimes have been committed against the US jewelry industry in 2021 compared to 2019, pre-Covid levels.
“This report summarizes information on when, where, and how crimes against jewelry firms occurred,” said John Kennedy, president of JSA. “Using the information in this report can help jewelers to become better prepared for dangerous crime risks, and provide for their security needs and services in an effective manner.”
Kennedy reminded jewelers that burglaries, robberies, and thefts happen everywhere: small towns, big cities, malls, strip centers, and free standing stores coast to coast—and that every jewelry business is at risk.
Notable results from the 2021 Report include:
- The total dollar loss from crimes against US jewelry firms reported by JSA for the 20-year period between 2002 and 2021 totaled $2.2 billion on an inflation-adjusted basis.
- In 2021, the total number of crimes committed against US jewelry firms was 1,687—an increase of 17.3 percent from 2019, when there were 1,438 crimes reported by JSA.
- In 2021, the total dollar loss from crimes against US jewelry firms reported by JSA was $70.1 million, a decrease from $83.2 million in 2020. The 2021 loss was also a decrease of 30.6 percent from 2019, when dollar losses totaled $101 million due to more frequent, but less costly crimes.
- Grab and run thefts increased from 581 thefts in 2020, to 842 thefts in 2021 (44.9 percent increase).
- There were 85 smash-and-grab robberies in 2021, 54 of which happened in malls and 12 of which happened in strip centers.
- The number of on-premise burglaries declined from 633 in 2020 to 311 in 2021, due to fewer incidents of looting and civil unrest. Of the 311 burglaries in 2021, 150 were in malls, including mall kiosks. The average loss from a safe attack increased from $287,000 in 2020 to $639,000 in 2021.
To see a copy of the full report, click here.