A grassroots effort has been launched to combat crime in the jewelry industry by encouraging cooperation between retail jewelers and traveling salespersons.

The effort began during the Jewelers Executive Conference, held in April in Overland Park, Kan., when a group of about 20 retailers, vendors, and industry and insurance executives met to create a checklist of basic steps to reduce crime against salespeople on the road (see sidebars).

Leo Anglo, manager of Vincent’s Jewelers in Creve Coeur, Mo., organized the meeting and created the checklist after consulting the insurance companies, Jewelers’ Security Alliance, and other organizations.

Anglo noted that the kinds of criminals who prey on traveling salespersons are often violent. Salesmen have suffered injuries and loss of life during these thefts.

Anglo later told JCK that Jewelers Mutual would duplicate the checklist on cards to be distributed to their clients.

John Kennedy, president of Jewelers’ Security Alliance, told JCK that JSA has assisted Anglo by providing printed material and that JSA supports the effort. “What he is really looking to do is to have retailers be more considerate of the security of vendors, and that vendors and retailers have a closer appreciation of each other’s security needs,” said Kennedy, who has known Anglo for several years and has worked with him on other security issues.

“If we can do something to promote it, we’ll promote it,” he added. “It’s a good idea.”

Anglo told JCK that following the list will not prevent all crime but will make it more difficult for criminals to commit acts against traveling salesmen. A 10 percent to 15 percent reduction in violent crimes would be a success.

“We have to force each other to be accountable to make sure we have to abide by these standards,” Anglo said. “We have to be the conscience for everybody in our industry.”

Anglo is looking for ways to circulate the checklist nationally.