The Jewelers Security Alliance is launching an intensified drive to involve local law enforcement in the fight against jewelry crime, JSA President John Kennedy said at the organization’s annual luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York.

“We’ve had a three year concentration on travelling salesmen, and trying to raise the FBI’s awareness of that problem,” said Kennedy. “We are not going to abandon that, but we also now want to focus more on crimes against retailers, which is the jurisdiction local law enforcement.”

He said the recent murders of a jeweler and his family in Michigan underscores the need for these intensified efforts.

JSA Chairman Alan Kleinberg noted that, as the results of the JSA’s efforts, the FBI is now more involved in the crimes against travelling people, and crimes against them have decreased some $30 million.

Also at the luncheon, the James B. White award for law enforcement assistance to the jewelry industry that went to FBI Supervisory Special Agent Edward J. Kelly. Ron Harder of Jewelers Mutual gave a $5,000 check in honor of White to the FBI Memorial Scholarship Fund for the children of deceased FBI agents.

Hugh Glenn of CYMA Watch/Glenn Corp. also received an award for his ten years of service on the board.

JCK