By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) ……
NATIONWIDE PATTERN OF BURGLARS CUTTING POWER LINES TO JEWELRY STORES TO DISABLE ALARM SYSTEMS
In the past 37 days, there have been reports of over 30 burglary cases of jewelry stores across the country. In all cases, the power lines have been cut to disable the stores’ alarm systems. Suspects then gained entry either from the roof or sidewall of adjoining space.
Investigators believe the burglars cut the power lines soon after a store has closed and then wait to see what type of response is made by the owner or police. Once the suspects witness the response or lack thereof, they gain entry into the store and cut or torch the safes.
Offenses have occurred in Florida, Colorado, California, Indiana, Idaho, Illinois, Utah and in Canada.
Coin Shop Owners – Preventive Measures
- Conduct a risk assessment of your business
- Evaluate your alarm system ( Upgrade as technology changes)
- Periodically test your alarm system
- Know the average response time from your police department
- Develop alarm response protocols for yourself, your relatives, or your employees. Never respond alone – request police assistance to search building.
A periodic risk assessment of your business will assist you in identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses that increase your chances of becoming a crime victim.
Postal Inspectors Request Assistance
California Postal Inspectors have requested an update on a previous alert regarding missing or stolen coins and a person of interest identified as Youssef Makail.
The link below is a list of missing/stolen coins. The 1891 $20 Gold Lib has a removed mint mark on the reverse.
Coin List (Downloadable DOCX File)
The coins may have been offered for sale or sold in the Long Beach/LA area or in New Jersey.
Please contact the Numismatic Crime Information Center’s Doug Davis if you have any questions or information about any of the cases above. You can reach him at (817) 723-7231, or email him at [email protected].
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The Numismatic Crime Information Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation. P.O. Box 14080 Arlington, Texas 76094.
