Best Practices for Jewellery Retailers

Concord Security recommends the following "best practices" for retail jewellery stores to prevent and deter retail crime.  Keep in mind that safety of your employees is of the highest priority.  Merchandise can be replaced, but lives cannot.

1. Have buzzers or chimes on your doors so that you are alerted when someone enters your premises.
2. Make eye contact with each customer who enters your store, greet the customer, and note his or her appearance.
3. Have at least two people on the sales floor at all times.
4. Never leave a customer alone with merchandise. Show only one item at a time. If a second item is requested, show it on your own wrist or finger.
5. Do not bring entire trays of merchandise or a diamond wallet to the counter when waiting on a customer. Too much value will be exposed to a grab-and-run.
6. All wall cases, show windows, display cases and showcases must have locks, and be kept in a locked position except when actually removing or returning goods.
7. Keep the keys to the showcases on your person, never on a hook or shelf in plain view. Keep the keys on a wrist or other holder.
8. Be warned that many showcases have generic keys, that is, keys that fit all showcases of that type. Anyone with a key to that type of showcase may be able to unlock your showcase and steal your goods. If a generic lock will open your showcases, consider installing unique locks.
9. After a customer has handled an item, re-examine it to make sure it is the same item before returning it to the showcase.
10. Keep all jewellery trays completely filled, either with goods or with markers.
11. Do not let non-employees into work areas, safe area, rest room or behind your showcases. This can be a trick to gain access to your merchandise.
12. Have an alert system in place in your store. If a suspicious person or situation is spotted, a code word or phrase can be used to alert the other employees.
13. If a customer is causing a commotion or engages in a loud disagreement, be alert for a distraction theft by an accomplice, and call another employee to assist you.