Legal News
03-Oct-2022
Stolen Jewelry Cases: Laws And Tips On How to Prevent Them
As a business owner, you know that theft is an unfortunate reality. The best way to prevent employees from stealing from you is by hiring trustworthy people who have the right attitude about work and honesty. However, there are other ways to reduce the risk of employee theft if you have staff members who you are not sure about. It is important to have a fair hiring process, but it is also helpful to have policies in place to help you determine who might be more likely to steal from you. There are certain signs to look for when hiring new employees, and there are ways that you can set up your company to reduce the risk of theft. But even the most careful hiring process does not guarantee that no one will attempt to take something from your business when given the opportunity. Sophisticated thieves can target almost any business and exploit its weak spots. Whether it’s a cash register, storage room, supply vendor, or employee, there are many opportunities for someone to take things without appearing as if they’re taking anything at all. To help your business reduce your risk of having jewelry stolen, read on for some useful advice on how to prevent these common scenarios from happening.
Train your employees
One of the best ways to prevent jewelry theft is to make sure your employees understand how to identify it. You can provide training on the types of jewelry most likely to be stolen, how to spot fakes, and how to inventory and display jewelry in a way that makes it less desirable for thieves. You can also implement controls on who has access to your inventory and put policies in place that make it clear that stealing jewelry is unacceptable. This includes knowing where they’re most likely to find it and then knowing how to report it if they see it. Employees who understand how to identify jewelry and gems may be more likely to report suspected stolen goods when they see them. You should also train your employees on how to secure valuables when they’re handling them and in what circumstances they should secure them. For example, you may have a policy that gems and other jewelry must be put in a safe or locker after business hours. If an employee has never been trained on how to secure valuables, they might be less likely to report other employees who are trying to steal them.
Use an electronic monitoring system
If you have a large amount of jewelry or gems that you store in a safe or vault, consider using an electronic monitoring system. Electronic monitoring systems are small devices that you can put in your vault or safe to keep track of what’s coming and going. These systems can be synced with your phone or computer so that you get a notification when something is removed from the vault. These systems can also be programmed to alert you if something is removed but not put back within a certain amount of time. These systems can alert you if a safe opens when it shouldn’t and can sometimes also alert you if someone is trying to open the safe with the incorrect code. You can also use these systems to monitor where your employees store things. If they don’t have the correct code, the system will alert you that someone is trying to open the storage locker. With this kind of monitoring in place, you may be able to catch employees who are trying to steal items from the storage area.
Install a surveillance system
If you have a large amount of jewelry or gems on hand, you may want to install a surveillance system to protect them. This can be done either with a dedicated system or a camera added to a conventional system. For example, many cameras now have a two-way audio function, which makes it possible to use the system to talk with anyone near your property as well as view them. This can be especially useful if you have an exhibition of jewelry and other valuables, as it enables you to have a security guard who can monitor visitors remotely rather than being forced to remain beside the display at all times. This is especially important if you’re buying or selling these items regularly. Even businesses that keep smaller amounts of jewelry on hand can benefit from a surveillance system. Make sure to describe the items you want to protect when shopping around for a surveillance system. This will help you find a system that will work best for your business.
Don’t leave valuables in the office
Keeping your valuables in a safe or lockbox is all well and good, but you don’t want employees to have constant access to them. There are a few ways you can keep these valuables out of sight. For example, you may want to store things like gem scales in a safe. You may also want to keep gem cutters out of sight. If you have an employee who frequently cuts gems, you don’t want them to have easy access to the tools required to do so. If you don’t have a safe or lockbox to keep things in, consider keeping valuables out of sight or locked up. You can do this by storing them in a filing cabinet, in a drawer, or on a high shelf.
Lock up the most valuable items
If you have a lot of jewelry or gems on hand, you may want to focus on locking up the most valuable items. Consider locking up pieces that are easily identifiable and have relatively little value compared to others. You can also buy a tracking device and install it on high-value pieces. If you know you will be hiring a new employee who will be handling jewelry, make sure they are properly vetted. If you are hiring a temp or contracting a vendor, make sure they have a background check and a detailed hiring policy to ensure they are only hiring trusted individuals. If you have a lot of gems on hand, you may want to focus on locking up the more valuable gems. For example, if you’re buying and selling a lot of blue diamonds, you may want to focus on locking those up. Once you’ve decided which items to lock up, you can store them in a safe or lockbox or in a drawer that has a lock.
Conclusion
Jewelry theft goes beyond cash register theft. To protect your business from this type of theft, make sure your employees know how to recognize jewelry, where to find it on the premises, and when to report it. You can also buy a tracking device and install it on high-value pieces. If you know you will be hiring a new employee who will be handling jewelry, make sure they are properly vetted. If you are hiring a temp or contracting a vendor, make sure they have a background check and a detailed hiring policy to ensure they are only hiring trusted individuals. You can also protect yourself from jewelry theft by keeping gems and other valuables out of sight. Finally, you can protect your jewelry by locking up the most valuable pieces and keeping the rest of your inventory in a safe or lockbox.