CrimeJun 27, 2022
JSA Warns of ‘Pandemic’ of Distraction Thefts Nationwide CrimeJun 30, 2022
What JSA’s Annual Report Tells Us About Jewelry Crime in 2021
Plus, JSA President John Kennedy talks about the trajectory of industry crime over the last 20 years.
New York—Last year was a “mixed picture” for jewelry crime in the United States, with the number of crimes increasing but dollars losses dropping when compared with pre-pandemic levels, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance’s annual report shows.
Released earlier this week, the report tracks crimes via specific case information reported to or obtained by JSA but excludes crimes the organization is unable to obtain a statistically valid sample for, such as internal theft, cyber-crime, and credit card fraud.
In 2021, the total number of crimes committed against U.S. jewelry firms was 1,687, down less than 2 percent from 1,718 in 2020.
Total dollar losses reached $70.1 million, also a decline from 2020, when dollar losses totaled $83.2 million.
However, 2020 was an anomaly for jewelry crime, with stores closed for months at a time followed by widespread civil unrest that caused the number of burglaries to spike that summer while not significantly impacting dollar losses.
In an interview Wednesday, JSA President John Kennedy said comparing 2021 to 2019, pre-pandemic, paints a more accurate picture of the current trajectory of jewelry crime.
In 2021, there were more crimes than in 2019—1,687 vs. 1,438—but fewer dollar losses. Dollar losses decreased by 31 percent from $101 million in 2019 to $70.1 million in 2021.
Dollar losses were unusually high in 2019 due to a surge in the number of professional gangs cutting power to jewelry stores and then cleaning out the safes.
In 2021, there were more crimes, but they were the types of incidences where dollars losses tend to be less significant.
Grab-and-run thefts, for example, spiked last year, totaling 842, up from 616 in 2019 and 581 in 2020.
The average loss from a grab-and-run in 2021 was $7,953 compared with $693,000 for a safe attack, which numbered only 17 in 2021, JSA’s report states.
Kennedy said the increase in grab-and-runs is due to the fact that people could, in many circumstances, conceal their faces with masks with few questions in 2021.
It’s also a relatively easy crime to commit, appealing to people left in dire straits following the pandemic, he said.
Related stories will be right here …
Released earlier this week, the report tracks crimes via specific case information reported to or obtained by JSA but excludes crimes the organization is unable to obtain a statistically valid sample for, such as internal theft, cyber-crime, and credit card fraud.
In 2021, the total number of crimes committed against U.S. jewelry firms was 1,687, down less than 2 percent from 1,718 in 2020.
Total dollar losses reached $70.1 million, also a decline from 2020, when dollar losses totaled $83.2 million.
However, 2020 was an anomaly for jewelry crime, with stores closed for months at a time followed by widespread civil unrest that caused the number of burglaries to spike that summer while not significantly impacting dollar losses.
In an interview Wednesday, JSA President John Kennedy said comparing 2021 to 2019, pre-pandemic, paints a more accurate picture of the current trajectory of jewelry crime.
In 2021, there were more crimes than in 2019—1,687 vs. 1,438—but fewer dollar losses. Dollar losses decreased by 31 percent from $101 million in 2019 to $70.1 million in 2021.
Dollar losses were unusually high in 2019 due to a surge in the number of professional gangs cutting power to jewelry stores and then cleaning out the safes.
In 2021, there were more crimes, but they were the types of incidences where dollars losses tend to be less significant.
Grab-and-run thefts, for example, spiked last year, totaling 842, up from 616 in 2019 and 581 in 2020.
The average loss from a grab-and-run in 2021 was $7,953 compared with $693,000 for a safe attack, which numbered only 17 in 2021, JSA’s report states.
Kennedy said the increase in grab-and-runs is due to the fact that people could, in many circumstances, conceal their faces with masks with few questions in 2021.
It’s also a relatively easy crime to commit, appealing to people left in dire straits following the pandemic, he said.
Only one member of the jewelry industry was killed while on the job in 2021, down from three in 2020 (two jewelers and one store guard) and three in 2019 (one customer and two bystanders).
Jamie Browning Iverson, 67, was shot and killed during an April 2021 armed robbery at the store she owned and operated with her husband in Indianola, Mississippi.
Two brothers were arrested in her murder.
JSA’s 2021 crime report also shows the continuation of a trend that’s held for two decades—overall, the number of crimes perpetrated against members of the jewelry industry and the associated dollar losses continue to drop.
The report notes that over the last 20 years (2002-2022), dollar losses from U.S. jewelry crimes have totaled $2.2 billion, with the biggest years for losses largely contained to the early aughts.
In 2002, losses totaled almost $190 million and peaked the following year at $195.5 million. This year’s dollar loss total, $70 million, is less than half that. (Historical losses are stated in inflation-adjusted dollars.)
“A big driver of that, a huge driver of that, is the off-premises losses,” Kennedy said.
“When I started here [in 1992], you would get one [off-premises incident] a day,” he said, noting that dollar losses from off-premises incidences, which include attacks against traveling salespeople and retailers at home as well as thefts at trade shows, used to total as much as all other crimes combined.
In 2021, there were only 34 incidences of off-premises crimes totaling $13.1 million in losses, down from $16.1 million in 2020 and $14.5 million in 2019.
Of the 34 off-premises crimes, 25 were robberies and nine were thefts. Seven of the nine thefts involved jewelry being stolen from unattended vehicles, a loss that is not generally covered by insurance, JSA noted.
The change in the way jewelry is distributed and sold over the years is the main driver behind the drop in off-premises crimes.
Companies of all sizes used to have multiple traveling salespeople on the road at all times. Now, there are only a handful of companies with employees going from store to store, and a lot of them aren’t even carrying product, Kennedy said.
So far in 2022, JSA has seen an increase in the violence and frequency of jewelry crimes across the board, with Kennedy noting upsurges in smash-and-grab robberies and assaults.
The increase is due to in part to the lifting of travel restrictions, which has allowed international gangs to return.
“The opportunity now presents itself, so now they are here,” he said. “Just like there is pent-up demand to buy jewelry, there is pent-up demand to steal jewelry.”
To read JSA’s 2021 Annual Crime Report in its entirety, visit JewelersSecurity.org.
The increase is due to in part to the lifting of travel restrictions, which has allowed international gangs to return.
“The opportunity now presents itself, so now they are here,” he said. “Just like there is pent-up demand to buy jewelry, there is pent-up demand to steal jewelry.”
To read JSA’s 2021 Annual Crime Report in its entirety, visit JewelersSecurity.org.
More on Crime
The Latest
EditorsDec 31, 2025
The Top 5 Stories of 2025Articles about crime, engagement rings, and a necklace worn in the World Series generated the most interest among readers.
MajorsDec 30, 2025
Becka Johnson Kibby to Lead Edge Retail AcademyAs part of the leadership transition, Sherry Smith will take on the role of vice president of coaching strategy and development.
SourcingDec 30, 2025
India Chosen as KP Chair for 2026It marks the third time the country has headed the Kimberley Process. Ghana will serve as vice chair.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
WatchesDec 30, 2025
Bulova, Stetson Collab on Watches With Western FlairThe new Bulova x Stetson designs highlight two animals often associated with the American West—the bison and the Texas Longhorn.
Weekly QuizDec 23, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsDec 30, 2025
Rahaminov Diamonds Pops Up in FloridaIts residency at Yamron Jewelers will run through May 2026.
IndependentsDec 29, 2025
In Memoriam: Industry Friends We Lost in 2025From influential executives to innovative designers, we pay tribute to the people we said goodbye to this year.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
MajorsDec 29, 2025
Tanishq Opens New Stores in Florida, VirginiaThe retailer is expanding into areas with large Indian and South Asian populations.
MajorsDec 29, 2025
Nanis Opens First Flagship Store The Italian brand has opened its first flagship amid the peaks of the Dolomites in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy.
SourcingDec 29, 2025
‘Unearthed: Raw Beauty’ Exhibition Opens at LA MuseumThe new curation at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County showcases rare gem and mineral specimens in their uncut, natural state.
SurveysDec 24, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls Again in DecemberConsumers shared concerns about prices, inflation, tariffs, trade, and politics in the survey’s write-in response section.
AuctionsDec 24, 2025
Bonhams to Open New U.S. Flagship in NYCIn February 2026, the auction house will move its headquarters to the former Steinway Hall, a neoclassical landmark on Billionaires’ Row.
Events & AwardsDec 24, 2025
NYC Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show Announces Winter EventThe new show will take place Jan. 23-25, 2026.
SourcingDec 23, 2025
Mining Titan Brian Gilbertson Dies at 82The former BHP Billiton leader and Gemfields chairman is remembered for his influential leadership throughout his 50-year mining career.
Events & AwardsDec 23, 2025
Bulgari Reimagines Costume Designers Guild AwardThe LVMH-owned brand has partnered with the costume design union to revamp its award for 2026.
MajorsDec 23, 2025
Kering to Acquire Stake in Raselli Franco GroupThe luxury titan inked a deal to acquire an initial minority stake in the jewelry manufacturer with a pathway to full ownership by 2032.
MajorsDec 23, 2025
For Future Reference Vintage Enters Bloomingdale’sThe company’s curation of unsigned vintage and estate jewelry debuted at the Bloomingdale’s in Costa Mesa, California.
EditorsDec 22, 2025
How Helzberg Is Reimagining Its StoresHelzberg’s Chief Retail Officer Mitch Maggart shared details about its tests of a new store concept rooted in an elevated luxury experience.
Recorded WebinarsDec 22, 2025
2025 Jewelry Rewind: Looking Back on an Eventful Year Jewelers of America execs and National Jeweler editors discuss tariffs, the sky-high gold price, and the engagement that broke the internet.
MajorsDec 19, 2025
MadaLuxe Group Acquires Ippolita The luxury goods company said founder Ippolita Rostagno will remain at the brand’s helm.
MajorsDec 19, 2025
LVMH Names New Bulgari CEOLaura Burdese, who joined the Italian luxury brand in 2022, will take on the role in July.
EditorsDec 19, 2025
2025 Jewelry Superlatives: A Yearbook-Style Year in Review The National Jeweler editors revisit the most noteworthy industry happenings and design trends from 2025.
AuctionsDec 19, 2025
Jean Schlumberger’s ‘African Cat’ Is Purr-Fection Need a gift for the cat lover who has everything? Look no further than our latest Piece of the Week.
AuctionsDec 18, 2025
Audemars Piguet Reclaims Historic Pocket Watch at AuctionIt purchased the “Grosse Pièce,” an ultra-complicated Audemars Piguet pocket watch from the ‘20s, for a record-breaking price at Sotheby’s.
Lab-GrownDec 18, 2025
Kira Jewels Debuts Custom Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry ServiceThe lab-grown diamond grower now offers custom engagement and fashion jewelry through its Kira Custom Lab Jewelry service.
EditorsDec 18, 2025
Terry Chandler Looks Back on 40 Years of Opportunity, Change, and FriendsChandler got his start at Michelson Jewelers and has served as DCA president and CEO since 2001. He will retire at the end of the month.
