Diamond Switch Artist Working the West Coast

What a drag! How to prevent it? Never, ever, leave a customer alone with an item, not for a second. Have your eyes on them and the item they are handling and often many stores have a policy for their salespeople to only show one item at a time. Be very, very careful when doing approval sales. Most stores will not do them. (\"Loaning\" an item out \"on approval\" may be done with big oriental rugs and the like, but it is not a good idea with jewelry. I would not do it.)Also, salespeople should put the item back in the case when the customer has finished looking at it, or take the item themselves to ring it up for the customer who wishes to buy. This suspect sounds like he may have worked in someplace like Las Vegas as a card shark, magician, or the like. They are very good at distracting your attention so that you don\'t notice what they are doing with their hands. Be watchful!

What a drag! How to prevent it? Never, ever, leave a customer alone with an item, not for a second. Have your eyes on them and the item they are handling and often many stores have a policy for their salespeople to only show one item at a time. Be very, very careful when doing approval sales. Most stores will not do them. ("Loaning" an item out "on approval" may be done with big oriental rugs and the like, but it is not a good idea with jewelry. I would not do it.)Also, salespeople should put the item back in the case when the customer has finished looking at it, or take the item themselves to ring it up for the customer who wishes to buy. This suspect sounds like he may have worked in someplace like Las Vegas as a card shark, magician, or the like. They are very good at distracting your attention so that you don't notice what they are doing with their hands. Be watchful!