A weekly roundup of jewelry store crimes with related tips
from JCK:

A Green Bay, Wis., man was arrested and charged with
entering Vosner Jewelers Aug. 8 and using the store’s gun to fire several
rounds in the air, according to a Green Bay Police Department press release.

Police said the shooting might have begun after the man and
the jewelry store owner engaged in an argument and name-calling on Facebook.
The suspect, Eric Teresinski, allegedly entered Vosner Jewelers around 12:40
p.m. on Aug. 8, retrieved a gun from behind the counter, fired several rounds
into the air, returned the gun, and left in his vehicle. Police said he was
familiar with the store and knew it had a gun. No one was injured during the
shooting. Teresinski was charged with endangering safety by use of a dangerous
weapon.

The Manual of Jewelry
Security says jewelers need insurance, not guns, to protect themselves. “Do
not keep a gun in your store or in any other business location.”

A man in Bangor, Maine, was arrested on Aug. 8 in connection
to an early morning smash-and-grab, according to the Bangor Daily News.

Herbert Hasenbank allegedly smashed two large plate glass windows
at a Bangor Day’s Jewelers around 1:45 a.m. Aug. 7 and took jewelry from display
cases. Police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle around 6:30 a.m., where
it was later discovered that Hasenbank allegedly stole the car from a friend (he later returned it). The car-theft victim identified Hasenbank in
surveillance video from the Day’s Jewelers theft. Hasenbank allegedly had two
unused Molotov cocktails with him during the theft. Police did not say whether
the missing jewelry was recovered.

Burglary-resistant show windows may slow down thieves who
want to smash a window and make a quick getaway, the Manual says. Having show windows and display glass reinforced with
a plastic or polyester film is a less-expensive alternative to burglary- and
bullet-resistant glass.

A Philadelphia jewelry store lost $700,000 worth of jewelry
and $6,000 in cash during an armed robbery Aug. 11, according to local news
reports. The owner of VIP Jewelry Store was asleep in the second floor
apartment above the store when six men allegedly woke him around 4 a.m. and
demanded money and keys to the store below the apartment. The store owner
alleges one of the men shoved a machine gun in his face, the men bound him, and
put a pillowcase over his face. No signs of forcible entry were discovered. According
to reports, four men stayed in the apartment with the victim while two others
entered the store and stole the jewelry items and cash. Police did not release
any information about recovering surveillance cameras from the store.

The Manual says
security features should be an important factor in selecting a residence.
“Jewelers should evaluate such issues as a dead-end vs. heavily traveled
street, the closeness of neighbors, and the garage or parking set-up,” the Manual says. The Jewelers’ Security
Alliance also suggests having an alarm system and good lighting around the
home.

JCK