Avoiding danger on the road

by carly_midgley | June 19, 2018 12:43 pm

By David Sexton

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The most effective weapon against professional jewellery thieves is to be constantly alert and pay strict attention to details. Organized thieves observe people who work in the jewellery industry, waiting for someone to leave the premises with a suitcase, briefcase, or boxes of merchandise. Then, they follow the individual until there is an opportunity to attack. The following precautions can help heighten your awareness and safety on your next trip away from the office.

Before you go

Extreme care needs to be taken when travelling with merchandise and materials as valuable as precious metals and stones. First, it is important to maintain a detailed inventory of merchandise that will be carried on the road. Keep one copy with the line and store a second copy in a separate, safe location.

Prior to departing, take time to research your travel destination, identifying public places where potential help, witnesses, and/or security surveillance are likely to be present as a crime deterrent. These locations may include police departments, banks, drive-thru restaurants, and hotels. It’s a good idea to do this for each place you will be visiting.

When heading out on the road, never leave without a fully charged cell phone and your charger. Stay in contact with your family or office while away, so they know where you are throughout the day. It’s just as important to stay in touch with the clients you’re visiting. You should keep your schedule confidential otherwise so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, but if criminals know where you’re going, it will help to ask your clients to pay attention to their surroundings for any suspicious activity. That way, they can alert you to any potential danger.

Another item you may want to arrange in advance is to leave your line at the last jewellery store you visit. This will permit you to safely exit the premises and relax for the evening. If possible, leave your line in the store’s safe or vault to provide the most protection.

Travelling by car

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If you must make a pit stop—no matter how quick—never leave your merchandise unattended, including in your car or hotel room. That’s why it’s essential to ensure the line you are carrying is manageable. You must be able to bring all of it with you into a restaurant, hotel, jewellery store, or any other location.

If you will be travelling in your personal vehicle, it is important to remove all identifying elements from it, including personalized license plates, bumper stickers, or decals from the dealership that sold you the car. Any of this customization provides robbers with the opportunity to gain more information about you.

Consider equipping your car with an alarm approved by your insurance company and ‘puncture-proof’ or ‘run-flat’ tires. While this could go without saying, it’s crucial to ensure your vehicle is in excellent working condition.

When you rent a car, you should write down the rental vehicle’s colour, make, model, and license number on an index card and keep the information in a handy place, such as in the car’s sun visor. If you feel you are being followed, the police dispatcher will need that information.

Avoid developing predictable driving patterns; change your routes as well as your departure and arrival times. Patterns and routines are something criminals will begin to watch, putting you at higher risk when you are travelling.

It is essential you always remain aware of your surroundings when approaching your vehicle after a stop. Walk completely around your car and inspect all locks, windows, doorframes, tail lights, and tires every time you park to determine whether anyone has tampered with the vehicle. Check for fluids underneath it, and be especially observant in parking ramps and lots.

After appointments at retail properties, give the store manager your cell phone number and ask him or her to watch you leave. If the store manager sees a car follow you, he or she should call you at once and notify the police you may be at immediate risk of becoming a victim of an armed robbery. After every sales call, take evasive driving action such as driving slowly, speeding up, making left turns, or driving around the block to determine if you are being followed.

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If you happen to get a flat tire or a damaged radiator, or if you become involved in a minor traffic accident (also known as ‘car bumping’), assume you are the target of a crime. While driving to a safe area, such as the secure locations you identified prior to leaving the office, call the police and inform them of your situation.

Rehearse what to say to a police dispatcher in the event you experience one of these car damages or notice a suspicious vehicle following you. You must be concise and specific. For instance, you might say, “I believe that I am about to be the victim of an armed robbery.”

When calling, be concise so you can direct the police to your location as quickly as possible. Know the street or road names, cross streets, and direction you are headed.

Travelling by plane

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When travelling by air, similar to ground, never leave your merchandise unattended. It is crucial not to check your jewellery as baggage, even if it means you have to reduce the amount of samples you bring so you can carry your line with you in a special attaché case. Jewellery checked as baggage may not be covered by insurance. There are very good reasons airlines warn travellers not to check their valuables.

At busy airports, contact security and request a private screening. If that isn’t possible, approach the airport security checkpoint with caution. Do not place your line on the X-ray conveyor belt until the area is clear and no one can block you from walking through the metal detector to receive your merchandise when it clears scanning on the other side. A common ploy involves one thief deliberately blocking you while his or her accomplice grabs your line as it comes off the belt.

When making your travel reservations, request an aisle seat on the plane so you can remain as close to your line as possible if you must place it in the overhead bin. If possible, ask to board early with guests who need special handling and store your line under the seat in front of you. If your line does not fit under the seat, place it in the overhead bin and ensure you can clearly see everything that is taken out of that bin. Stay alert throughout the flight and retrieve your merchandise as soon as the plane has landed and the flight attendant permits it.

The bottom line

Professional criminals are waiting for you to make a mistake while travelling. Wherever you’re headed and however you’re getting there, these four tips are essential to increase your safety on the road:

• plan ahead;
• carry a manageable line;
• never leave your merchandise unattended; and
• assume you are a target.

If you are confronted by a criminal, do as you are told and focus on your personal safety. Your line is not worth your life.

[5]David J. Sexton, CPCU, is vice-president of loss prevention consulting at Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group in the United States. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Sexton serves on the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Security Systems Council, where he is a corporate member of the insurance category. He also sits on the board of directors for Jewellers Vigilance Canada (JVC) and worked on the Central Station Alarm Association’s (CSAA’s) Insurance Liaison Committee, which assisted in the development of the UL burglar alarm modular certificate program and revised UL standard. Comments and questions can be sent to lossprevention@jminsure.com.

For resources regarding safety and security when carrying or working with jewellery, visit JewelersMutual.com. Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group is the only company specializing exclusively in jewellery insurance in Canada and the United States. It is licensed in Canada and all 50 states.

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/features/avoiding-danger-on-the-road/

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