The jewellery world is becoming a more dangerous place in Canada, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, at least not in the short term. The incidents of smash-and-grab robberies are increasing, especially in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and the severity of this crime also appears to be rising. What started as a string of crimes involving two or three offenders seems to have quickly grown to small gangs of six to 10 people. Dubbed “swarming robberies” by the police and news media, it is fast becoming the modus operandi of criminals targeting retail jewellery stores.

No category within the retail sector seems to be immune. Large franchise stores nestled within the walls of enclosed malls, once a relative bastion of safety due to the high visibility nature of the location, have also become victims alongside the smaller and independent locations in plaza centres. Usually armed with hammers and other striking implements, these gangs of criminals invade a store and begin smashing display cases and pilfering jewellery.

As incidents continue, gangs of thieves appear to have become more brazen in their aggression. The criminals seem to be less restrained, as incidents of threatening employees are on the rise. While less common, reports of firearms being brandished are becoming more frequent.

So, why jewellery?

The roots of violent crime such as these are multi-causal, and it would be unhelpful to attempt to boil them down to a single issue, but there are some less nuanced reasons which may be fueling the rise in this type of crime. Jewellery is easily transportable and usually quite high in value relative to its size. Gold, diamonds, and other precious stones and metals crafted into jewellery have a fairly stable and predictable value across geographic regions due to global pricing models. The street value of a 14K gold necklace or a one-carat diamond solitaire ring is relatively the same whether purchased from a retailer, bequeathed in a will, or stolen from a store.

Unlike many other types of retail goods, jewellery is a “near cash instrument,” which means the commodity (jewellery) is easily transacted for cash, with little ability for the buyer to track or trace its origin. Any item that is high in value, easily transportable, and can be quickly liquidated for cash without fear of tracking presents quite a tempting target for a would-be criminal.

In committing these crimes, the culprits are leaning heavily on two strategies that have been used throughout history—surprise and speed. Thieves often conduct pre-crime surveillance on their chosen target to learn basic customer traffic patterns, employee behaviours, obvious security measures, entry and escape routes, and then use this information to identify the most useful areas to exploit. When they strike, they do so without warning, en masse, with great speed, and can often leave the scene less than a minute after starting the robbery.

What can a jeweller do?

Although the police services in Canada are extremely diligent in attempting to thwart these crimes while they are in progress, the contemporary demands on police resources mean they often will not be able to arrive on scene during the event, especially given the speed with which these crimes are taking place. They are very diligent in investigating this type of violent crime and criminally charge the offenders. However, these investigations often take some time, and the jewellery has often been sold by the time suspects are identified and brought before the courts.

Preventative measures are the jeweller’s greatest defence in this battle and will likely yield the most valuable results, but don’t just jump to the next flashy piece of security technology. People tend to start with solutions before correctly identifying the actual problem and, in doing so, end up spending money to fix a vulnerability they may not even have.

Jewellers need to start with a proper understanding of their risk profile—which is a combination of asset values, likely threats, and current vulnerabilities. Your new security glass on the storefront doesn’t help if the only thing between your jewellery storage room and the connected building or shared stairwell next door is two sheets of drywall and some studs.

These thieves are usually masked, so unless live-monitored for on-going threats, your security cameras are largely forensic tools, not crime prevention aids. This isn’t meant to discourage you from using these tools, but this awareness of functionality is critical. Security glazing, mantraps, reinforced display cases, traffic bollards, security fog, sirens, cameras, GPS tracking, etc., all may be great security measures when deployed correctly as part of a well-thought-out total security plan.

While the threats facing retail jewellery stores are very similar, the combination of building construction, store location, jewellery type, and business model are all unique factors which need to be considered when finding the right solution for your circumstances. In most cases, there is no single “magic bullet.” Instead, your security solution needs to address the vulnerabilities that are unique to your situation—and it is important to align these solutions with your risk tolerance. Independent security consultants, jewellery insurance agents and brokers, along with other professionals, make it their business to understand this landscape and can give good advice on the best solutions for you and your business.