The Jewelers Security Alliance has issued a warning for traveling salespersons doing business in Charlotte, N.C.

JSA says that “there is a pattern of attacks on traveling jewelry salespersons in the Charlotte, NC area.

This year, JSA says there has been at least two attacks on traveling salespersons in and around Charlotte and there were eight attacks reported in 2006.

“Due to many arrests, convictions and long sentences of South American gang members over the last few years in traditionally dangerous areas, the gangs are traveling to places that had not recently experienced significant activity against traveling salespersons, such as Denver, CO, Salt Lake City, UT and Charlotte,” JSA wrote in its email warning. “There is no place in the country where a traveling jewelry salesperson can relax his guard.”

The two most recent attacks in Charlotte reported by JSA are as follows:

On April 11 a traveling salesperson for a watch firm made a call on retailers in the South Park Mall and went to his car in the parking deck at 5:30 p.m. His car failed to start. A suspect standing nearby reached into the rear seat of the salesperson’s car and grabbed a briefcase. The salesperson got out of the car and started to chase the suspect. A second suspect then threatened the salesperson with a knife. Both suspects then ran to a silver minivan, driven by a third suspect. The salesperson continued chasing and grabbed the sliding door of the van and injured his arm. The suspects are described as three Hispanic males, 5’10”, 180 lbs.

On March 10 a traveling jewelry salesperson left Greenville, S.C. and drove to Charlotte, to call on a retailer. He parked in a parking lot and went to the trunk of his car when a black, four-door vehicle pulled quickly into the parking lot. The salesperson ran and was knocked down by one of the suspects from the black vehicle who then guarded the salesperson with a knife. The other suspects broke the windows of the salesperson’s car, took his jewelry line, and flattened one of his tires.

JCK