(IDEX Online) – Crimes committed against U.S. jewelry firms reported to the Jewelers’ Security Alliance (JSA) increased by 12% to 1,394 in 2017 from 1,245 in 2016, according to the JSA's Annual Crime Report for 2017.<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /?>
Total dollar losses from crimes committed against U.S. jewelry firms decreased by 0.4% to $72.1 million in 2017 from $72.4 million in 2016.
In 2017 JSA recorded a large dollar increase in cyber-enabled thefts by deception and impersonation. The average loss from this type of crime was over $1.2 million.
There were five homicides of jewelers in 2017, compared to six homicides in 2016.
In the 10-year period from 1996 to 2006, 82 jewelers were killed, while in the 10-year period from 2007 to 2017, 41 jewelers were killed, which represented a 50% decline.
Other figures include:
- Reports of smash and grab robberies increased by 14.5% to 71 from 62, with more than 50% of smash and grab robberies taking place in mall locations.
- Grab and run thefts increased by 32.4% to 556 from 420
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- Off-premises crimes, including traveling salesperson losses, fell to 39 in 2017, the lowest total in over 20 years