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U.S. Jewelry Industry Experienced $142.5 Million in Crime Losses in 2024, JSA Report Reveals May 30, 2025 (0 comments)
New York, NY--The Jewelers' Security Alliance (JSA) has released its 2024 Annual Crime Report, highlighting a concerning trend for the U.S. jewelry industry. According to the report, crimes against U.S. jewelry businesses resulted in total dollar losses of $142.5 million in 2024, marking a 7.0% increase from $133.2 million in 2023.
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While total dollar losses increased, the number of criminal events declined by 12.4%, with 1,420 incidents reported in 2024, down from 1,621 in 2023, according to the report.
The report noted that on-premises burglaries accounted for the largest share of losses, with a 108% increase in losses compared to the previous year. Losses from burglaries surged to $80.7 million, primarily driven by sophisticated burglary crews. The JSA identified a 165% increase in wall-entry burglaries, often carried out by South American Theft Groups (SATGs) using advanced tools and techniques such as Wi-Fi jammers, construction vests, and power cuts.
According to the report, robbery incidents declined by 11.3%, but the resulting losses still totaled $30.9 million. The number of smash-and-grab robberies decreased slightly, though robbery events involving firearms dropped sharply, from 32.8% in 2023 to 19.6% in 2024.
Off-premises crimes, which include attacks on traveling salespeople and jewelers outside their business locations, decreased by 53% in reported cases, dropping to 47 incidents in 2024 from 100 in 2023. However, these crimes still resulted in $18.5 million in losses. Notably, nearly 45% of off-premises crimes targeted exhibitors at trade shows, the report highlighted.
Other key findings from the report include:
- California remained the most affected state, accounting for 17.4% of on-premises robberies and 15.4% of burglaries.
- Grab-and-run thefts accounted for 65.1% of theft events, with an average loss of $9,713 per incident.
- Four homicides of retail jewelers were reported in 2024, compared to one in 2023.
The JSA report highlighted that, although the overall frequency of crimes declined, the severity of individual incidents increased, particularly in high-value burglaries targeting safes and vaults. It also attributed the decline in off-premises crimes to a reduction in the number of traveling salespeople and improved cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the jewelry industry.
The full report can be accessed through the Jewelers' Security Alliance website here.