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JSA Security Tips For The Las Vegas Trade Shows August 24, 2021 (0 comments)
Las Vegas, NV—Just in the last week gangs have robbed traveling jewelry salespersons in California and Florida, and in the past such gangs have targeted exhibitors and attendees at the Las Vegas trade shows, warns the Jewelers Security Alliance. Although the Las Vegas Metro Police and security staffs will be out in force to help protect show attendees from harm, there is still a need to pay close attention to proper security procedures.
JSA warns all attendees to keep their guard up, and follow these security recommendations:
Show vault. Exhibitors should vault their goods at the Show site immediately upon arrival in Las Vegas, and keep the goods secured except during exhibit hours.
Showcases locked. Exhibitors should not leave showcases unlocked except to take out or return merchandise. Large losses have occurred at shows when gangs have been able to distract exhibitors and get their hands into unlocked showcases.
Booth control. Even with heavy buyer traffic, and during setup and break down, you must always control the merchandise at your booth. If you do not have enough personnel to control your merchandise at the booth, consider hiring a security guard. Promptly return your goods to the Show vaults or appropriate safe or guarded locations when the Show closes for the evening. Goods not placed in show vaults, booth safes or guarded locations overnight can disappear.
No hotel room shows. Private and unauthorized hotel room shows, or doing jewelry business in restaurants or other public places, present a serious security risk to you, your customers, and others nearby. Keep your goods safely in Show vaults and do business at your booth.
Be discreet. Don't identify yourself as a jeweler in public places such as hotel lobbies, elevators, restaurants, taxis and buses, and be careful of carrying logo items identifying you as being in the jewelry business. Be prudent in discussing jewelry business in public places away from the Show.
Show badge. Do not wear your Show badge away from Show areas. When finally leaving the show, do not discard your badge carelessly, for example in a garbage can, allowing anyone to pick it up and enter the Show. Either carry it with you or place it in the locked receptacles at the exits that the Shows provide.
Be careful when carrying bags. Be careful when moving bags between shows and your hotel room, including laptops, large purses and other items, especially bags and other items with jewelry related logos. Gang members could identify you as a jeweler, mistake your bags for jewelry goods, or target your other valuables, such as laptops.
Personal jewelry. All attendees need to be prudent in wearing and carrying high end jewelry and watches when traveling to and from the Shows, on the Strip and in restaurants and other public places. Criminals in New York and Los Angeles have recently targeted jewelers wearing high end jewelry and watches, and taken items from them with violence.
Armored courier service. Exhibitors should have shipped their goods to the Show by an armored courier service, and should ship them back to their business in the same way. Verify end-of-Show shipping arrangements before the Show closes.
Finally, a reminder that JSA will present a three-hour security bootcamp for retailers at the JCK show on Sunday, August 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The session requires registration and a $125.00 fee, and will take place in Room Casanova 601. For more information and to register, click here. For other questions concerning jewelry security, visit JSA at JCK booth LNG 309 on Level One of the Venetian/Sands Expo Center. You may call the Jewelers' Security Alliance at 1-800-537-0067, e-mail JSA at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org, or visit the JSA website at www.jewelerssecurity.org.