In fact, the FBI's Jewelry and Gem (JAG) Program was
initiated in 1992 when thefts from jewelry retailers
and robberies of traveling jewelry salespersons spiked
all across the United States.
What
are the costs associated with JAG thefts? Huge: the jewelry
industry loses 100 million dollars each
year—and, because the crimes are often committed
with weapons, sometimes they result in serious physical
injury or death too.
What
specific criminal enterprises are involved? Back in 1992,
we were dealing mostly with Colombian Gem
Thieves. Now we see more diversified South American
Theft Groups targeting traveling salespersons, and
some Balkan groups and African American street gangs
who target retail stores--organizing "smash and
grab" armed robberies. The street gangs often
branch out into other types of major theft while they
plot “big money” jewel thefts: things like
clothing boosting, computer software and supplies,
over-the-counter drugs, infant formula, and various
other items.
How
do “fences” play into the crimes? Of course they’re integral to the success of
the crime…and also serve to move the jewels across
state and national lines and to make money laundering
arrangements from city to city. Commonly, jewelry is
stolen in one city, fenced in another, and the proceeds
are then laundered in another city or country. And
many fences will travel across the country and around
the world to buy the stolen jewels—we call these
specialists “flying fences.”
The
most popular “fencing” cities? Los
Angeles, Houston, Miami, and New York City.
Bottom
line: These theft rings are sophisticated; they’re organized; they’re violent—and
they require a sophisticated and multi-jurisdictional
response. That’s what the FBI provides--giving
law enforcement agencies and the jewelry industry a
means to combat crime problems in the jewelry trade
in a unified and coordinated approach.