Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CrimeMar 13, 2017
Jewelry Crime Increases for First Time Since 2012
The number of crimes reported to the Jewelers Security Alliance rose to 1,245 last year, though John J. Kennedy cautions against making too much of the increase.
New York--Jewelry crime rose 6 percent year-over-year in 2016, the annual report from the Jewelers Security Alliance shows.
According to the report, which was released Friday, the total number of crimes committed against U.S. jewelry firms and reported to the JSA last year was 1,245, compared with 1,177 in 2015.
Dollar losses increased in lockstep, rising from $69.3 million in 2015 to $72.4 million in 2016, an increase of about 5 percent.
There were a total of six industry homicides in 2016--five jewelers and one traveling salesman--up from two in 2015.
The 2016 total includes a triple homicide, which Kennedy noted is very rare.
That crime, which happened just before Christmas at a store in Jackson, Mississippi, claimed the lives of 81-year-old store owner Bill Mosley and two employees, 60-year-old Robert Ivy and 70-year-old Ted McLemore.
(Counted in the JSA’s statistic for jeweler homicides are customers, store employees, police officers, security guards and any other bystanders. Suspects shot in the course of a crime are counted separately, and in 2016, there were five robbers killed by jewelers, up from three in 2015.)
This is the first time since 2012 that the number of jewelry industry crimes reported to the JSA has risen, though Kennedy cautions against making too much of the increase.
According to the report, which was released Friday, the total number of crimes committed against U.S. jewelry firms and reported to the JSA last year was 1,245, compared with 1,177 in 2015.
Dollar losses increased in lockstep, rising from $69.3 million in 2015 to $72.4 million in 2016, an increase of about 5 percent.
There were a total of six industry homicides in 2016--five jewelers and one traveling salesman--up from two in 2015.
The 2016 total includes a triple homicide, which Kennedy noted is very rare.
That crime, which happened just before Christmas at a store in Jackson, Mississippi, claimed the lives of 81-year-old store owner Bill Mosley and two employees, 60-year-old Robert Ivy and 70-year-old Ted McLemore.
(Counted in the JSA’s statistic for jeweler homicides are customers, store employees, police officers, security guards and any other bystanders. Suspects shot in the course of a crime are counted separately, and in 2016, there were five robbers killed by jewelers, up from three in 2015.)
This is the first time since 2012 that the number of jewelry industry crimes reported to the JSA has risen, though Kennedy cautions against making too much of the increase.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
The numbers overall still are relatively small, he said, and industry crime remains well below what it was in decades past.
He said small, year-over-year increases happen, with one or two additional bands of smash-and-grab or distraction thieves driving up the number.
“It [the number of crimes] will fluctuate,” Kennedy said. “If it doubled, then I would have to say there’s something going on here that we’re not looking at.”
Outside of credit card fraud--only a fraction of which gets reported to the JSA, Kennedy noted--the most frequent type of crime perpetrated against jewelers last year was grab-and-run thefts.
The number of grab-and-runs rose 40 percent year-over-year, from 301 in 2015 to 420 in 2016, with this crime accounting for 34 percent of all thefts reported to the JSA. (Theft is defined as the taking of property without force or fear.)
The average loss from grab-and-runs was $7,664, with one incident in Colorado resulting in a loss of $118,000 in jewelry.
According to the JSA report, the most common day of the week for grab-and-run thefts was Wednesday and the month in which the most grab-and-run thefts occurred was July.
Other notable statistics from the JSA’s 2016 crime report include the following.
--The number of robberies fell from 231 in 2015 to 174 in 2016, a 25 percent decrease. (Robbery is defined as the taking of property by use of force or fear and includes smash-and-grabs as well as armed robberies.)
--The top three most active states for robberies were California, Florida and Texas, unchanged from 2015. These three states accounted for about 40 percent of all robberies in the country.
--New York fell off the list of most active states for robberies in 2016, and was replaced by Michigan and North Carolina.
--Burglaries were up 12 percent, from 256 to 287. (Burglary is defined as entering a business or residence after closing with the intent to commit a crime.)
--The number of off-premises crimes, which includes attacks on traveling salespeople as well as attacks on jewelers at their homes or other places outside their stores, fell to a total of 48 in 2016, the second-lowest total recorded since the 1980s. Kennedy said this is mostly due to the fact that there are fewer traveling salespeople on the road today.
More on Crime
The Latest
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
