When Crime Doesn’t Pay

Good news for jewellers everywhere. The FBI has finally caught up with a thief, believed to have committed up to six robberies – five on her own and at least three with an accomplice - Lewis Jones III – who either acted as look out, or actually took part in the crimes.

But Abigail Lee Kemp is not your usual thief. The 24-year-old ex-waitress – dubbed the Diamond Diva – is accused of sticking up six stores in five states – Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee – making off with some $4 million in goods.

According to NBC, Kemp wasn’t so much a masked robber as an unmasked one, not bothering to hide her face. Nor did she pay much attention to hiding her identity. She apparently used her own phone and a relative’s Honda Civic during her crime spree. She also attracted attention by wearing some of the jewelry that she had lifted.

However, while one thief has been caught – and should be facing the full force of the law, there are many criminals still out there and the Jewelers Security Alliance (JSA) reports that January is the month in which the largest percentage of robberies occurs. Although we have left the holiday season behind, jewelry stores may still have high inventory and there are always people returning or exchanging pieces.

So, although no one wants to think about crime hitting them, it’s always worth being on the lookout. JSA points out that many jewelry store robberies that involve some kind of weapon are committed by teams of two or more people. The fact that Kemp and Jones are alleged to have forced employees at gunpoint to the back of each store and then zip-tied their hands having been made to lie face down is, however, somewhat unusual. Many attacks involving weapons are frequently smash-and-grab robberies, where hammers are used to break open display cases, although axes have also reportedly been used.

While there are many suspicious behaviors to look out for, JSA recommends paying careful attention to a number of details that could possibly point to a person planning on targeting a store:

Pay attention to whether they are looking outside of your store, potentially trying to communicate with others through hand signals and gestures. The person or persons might also appear to be inappropriately dressed for the season, wearing sunglasses or perhaps even a hoodie or hat pulled down too low.

If somebody asks to see the most expensive items in the store and also keeps their hands in their pockets as a forensic countermeasure it should also set those alarm bells ringing.

Other things to remember is that the most active time of day and week for robberies to occur is between 10-11 am on Tuesday and Wednesday and the most popular entry point for robbers into a store is through the front door, followed by a window and then the roof.

Jones and Kemp were caught because of information sharing between law enforcement authorities and also tip offs from the public. Sharing information, with the JSA (which is expected to honor the $10,000 reward it published on its website for information about the string of heists) or joining neighborhood watch programs with other local jewelers and businesses can also help boost security provisions.

Fortunately, while violent robberies do occur, the majority of interactions between jewelers and their customers are positive. Jewelers love what they do, displaying and selling fabulous jewelry and interacting with their customers – and we want that precious relationship to continue.

Stay safe and thanks for reading.