Finally - the point has been made, I guess. I was sitting there
puttin a hinge on a watchcase thinking, “There must be some
guidelines out there…” The Jeweler’s Security Alliance website
will drive home the point that it’s not trivial, but Jeweler’s
Mutual had a page that at least gets the security ball rolling,
for those who need it:
Safety Checklist for your Store Everyday reminders
…
-
Inspect showcases several times daily for tampering.
-
Exercise proper key control: never leave keys on hooks or on
counters, and use wrist key holders. -
Keep showcases locked when unattended.
-
Show one item at a time.
-
Greet each customer who enters the store.
-
Always ask outside salespeople, delivery people, etc., for proper
identification before doing business with them. -
Use pre-established code words to alert other employees of
suspicious situations.
Opening and closing guidelines
…
-
Observe your surroundings when you arrive.
-
Inspect the perimeter of the store for any signs of a possible
break-in. -
Open and close with two people; someone should watch from a safe
distance and have a cellular phone. -
As soon as you enter the business, relock the door.
-
With the doors locked, remove valuables from safes or vault to
prepare for the work day. -
Distribute high-value merchandise throughout the store in
strategic areas away from entrances. -
Never unlock your doors to anyone who is not an employee while you
are preparing to open. -
At the end of the business day and after customers have left, lock
your doors before placing as much merchandise as possible in safes or
vaults.
Safety tips for Goldsmiths, custom designers, repair jewelers and
appraisers
When open to business
…
-
Remind your staff to ask salespeople, delivery salespeople, etc.,
for proper identification before giving them entry to your business. -
Train employees about how to respond during an armed robbery:
cooperate completely, remain calm, strictly obey the robbers’
orders. -
Before entrusting jewelry to another jewelry dealer or retailer on
memo or as a sale contingent on approval, do a thorough background
check. This should include a credit rating from the Jewelers Board
of Trade, references, and a certificate of insurance. Have a written
agreement about who is responsible for paying for shipping and
insurance. -
Avoid discussing jewelry business in public where others may hear
you. Never discuss business with strangers or acquaintances who
could use the against you. -
Place fire extinguishers in easily accessible locations and
maintain them as directed. Contact your local fire department for
recommendations. Be sure all employees know where fire extinguishers
are located and how to use them. -
Assure that all flammable materials are stored correctly and
containers are inspected as directed. Check your lease and local
ordinances to determine any requirements or restrictions. Assure
that employees who use the flammable materials are well trained.
Train all employees about how to respond to an emergency. -
Refer to Jewelers Mutual’s shipping flyer, The Safe Way to Ship
Jewelry, for recommendations on how to properly ship jewelry.
When closed to business
…
-
Install a burglary-resistant safe/vault that is listed by
Underwriters Laboratories (UL). The value of the merchandise you
will store in the safe determines the quality of safe to purchase. -
Store as much merchandise as possible in your safe or vault. Most
nighttime losses involve jewelry left out of safes. -
Consider using a safe-deposit box to store excess merchandise.
-
Install and maintain an alarm system that is listed by UL.
-
Make sure that your alarm system is maintained properly. Never
take an alarm system for granted by assuming it is a false alarm. If
your alarm system suddenly begins to malfunction, have the system
checked by professionals. Don’t be satisfied until they determine
exactly what is wrong. -
Never reopen your doors (including to late-arriving customers)
when you’ve closed to business. -
If the police or alarm company call and ask you to come to your
business for any reason, ask for the caller’s name and badge or ID
number.
Preventing travel losses
…
General guidelines
…
-
The best crime prevention is to remain alert to your surroundings
at all times! -
Carry a line that is manageable. You must be able to carry all of
it with you in one trip into a restaurant, hotel, or jewelry store. -
Carry a cell phone with you at all times and use it to check in
with your family or office, so they know where you are throughout
the day. -
Make travel arrangements very confidentially. Never use the name
of the jewelry firm when making reservations and never use a
postcard to make appointments. Never let others outside of your
immediate family know where you will be staying. -
When possible, do not take your line to your home. Store it at
your company, a jewelry store, or in a bank vault. If you must bring
your line home, take extra precautions to reduce your risks. -
Keep a list of the inventory you are carrying in a safe place away
from your line. The listing should be kept separate from your line
to assure that it is available in the event that your line is
stolen. -
Check out prospective customers before calling on them or meeting
them at an arranged location. -
Direct all business correspondence to a post office box. Never
direct business correspondence to your home. -
Remember the value of the merchandise you’re carrying.
Professional jewelry thieves are waiting for you to make one small
mistake. Plan each trip carefully and follow your plan. Focus on
maintaining possession of your line at all times. Assure that you
have proper insurance coverage. If you are confronted by an armed
robber, do as you are told and survive. Your line is not worth your
life.
Traveling by car
…
-
Keep a directory handy (perhaps attached to your sun visor) with
the emergency phone numbers of local police. Contact local
authorities to determine whether 911 will work from your cell phone
in that area. -
When you leave a store, give the store manager your cell phone
number and ask him or her to watch you leave or even walk you to
your car. If the store manager sees a car follow you, he or she
should call you immediately and notify the police that you may be a
victim of an armed robbery. -
Lock merchandise in the trunk of your car. Never leave it on a
seat. -
If you are traveling by cab, keep your line in your possession,
not in the trunk.
When flying
…
-
Arrive early so you have more time and choices.
-
Do not check your jewelry merchandise as baggage. Always keep your
line in your possession, even if you have to reduce the amount of
samples so that you can carry your line with you in a special case.
Jewelry checked as baggage may not be covered by insurance. -
At busy airports, contact security and request a private security
screening. By law, you are entitled to a private screening of your
carry-on baggage.
At a hotel or motel
…
-
Do not let merchandise out of your grip or physical control, even
momentarily, when you take your line to and from your car. -
Do not let your line out of your grip or physical control when
checking in or out of a hotel. -
Never leave your line in an unattended hotel or motel room, or the
hotel security room. Take the line with you if you must leave the
room. -
Be cautious of people arriving unannounced at the door of your
room. Do not open your door until you verify the person’s identity,
such as with a phone call to the desk clerk. If suspicious, don’t
open the door.