Jewelers Warned about "Switch" Thefts
February 12, 23
(IDEX Online) - Jewelers are being warned about distraction thefts after two separate incidents in which thieves switched fakes for genuine goods.
In one case, on 1 February, a "customer" reached into a display case and pointed at a pair of diamond earrings.
It was only later that staff at the store, in Canton, Ohio, USA, discovered the switch from surveillance video.
In another, in the Indianapolis area last December, a suspect took three genuine rings from a tray, distracted the sales associate by asking to see different pieces of jewelry, then substituted fake rings.
The Jewelers' Security Alliance is appealing for information about both crimes and issued this advice to jewelers: "Show one item at a time and make sure you know where the merchandise being shown is at all times. And do not let customers put their hands inside showcases."
Contact JSA at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org
Pic shows suspects from (left) Canton and (right) Indianapolis thefts