Jeweler's murder raises safety concerns

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The late December murder of a Livonia jeweler and four members of his family not only has shocked the retail jewelry community, it has increased their concerns about security at work and at home.

“Our heart goes out to family and friends of Marco Pesce, his mother and children,” said Frank Yanke, owner of Yanke Designs in Franklin. “The Michigan jewelry community is well connected, so this is a very real and tragic loss. Sadly, it’s also an eye-opener to the importance of personal safety for jewelers.”

Livonia police say Mr. Pesce was killed sometime between 5:45 and 7:15 p.m. on December 22, when he responded to a phone call from his son that there was trouble at their home. It is not known if Mr. Pesce’s family was alive when he arrived there, but when officers arrived at the home, the Pesce family had been murdered, and the house had been ransacked.

“Anyone selling anything of value has to be cautious about safety,” said Ann Rice, insurance agent with Acordia in Southfield. “But jewelers have become targets because of the portability and easy resale of jewelry and loose gems.”

Additional police reports state that Mr. Pesce had a large jewelry safe in his home and that he had been a target for some time.

“Because of shows and special circumstances, traveling with jewelry is hard to avoid,” said Rice. “But this is a dangerous time, and keeping a lot of jewelry at home is simply not safe.”

For some, those dangers are hitting too close to home. “If I had known the dangers that owning a jewelry store could bring to my family, I would have gone into another type of business altogether,” said a Lansing-area jeweler, who asked to remain unnamed.

Rice understands this fear but adds that while dangers exist, jewelers should not feel like sitting ducks. Sound precautionary measures and maintaining a disciplined routine of safe behavior can defend against a robbery or save a life.

“There are many things jewelers can do to help ensure their safety,” said Rice. “When you get too comfortable is when problems can occur.”

Rice reminds jewelers that in their stores, display cases should be locked at all times and employees shouldn’t wear a lot of expensive jewelry while on the sales floor. While on the road, she says, jewelers should avoid developing predictable time and travel patterns, should always carry a cellular phone and should consider purchasing “puncture-proof” tires.

When it comes to the home, Rice recommends keeping as few gem valuables at home as possible, installing an alarm that has a direct connection to local police and informing children to be wary of phone calls from fast-talking “friends” curious as to the whereabouts of parents.

Rice said that common procedures like those mentioned above are mandatory measures for ensuring safety, but jewelers can never be too well prepared for a robbery.

“A conscientious jeweler should go as far as knowing how to get out from the inside of the trunk of the car that they own, in case of a robbery on the road,” said Rice. “I’m not trying to encourage paranoia, but the dangers are out there, we know that now more than ever.”

Marcia Ramah, owner of Prestige Jewelry in Saginaw, knows that a disaster plan is vital for any responsible jewelry store.

“We have always been dedicated to security,” said Ramah. “The door to our store is locked all day. After we have looked at the person who has rung the bell and judged their behavior, then we make a decision to let them in or not. This may cost us business, but in this industry, you err on the side of caution.”

Rice agrees.

“I am not a jeweler, but my work takes me in and out of jewelry stores all day,” said Rice. “There was an occasion when after visiting several jewelry stores in one day, I noticed that I was being followed. I couldn’t believe that I had to call the police from my car phone and say that I thought I was about to be the victim of an armed robbery.”

John J. Kennedy, president of Jewelers Security Alliance, said a good relationship with authorities is vital, and that the best way for jewelers to protect themselves and their merchandise is with insurance.

“Insurance exists so that valuable property is covered and human lives are spared,” he said. “Let the insurance work for you and don’t risk your life to protect your merchandise.”

Kennedy said that guns do not belong under jewelry counters because the most likely person to be hurt by a gun will be the store owner or an employee. He also stated that “panic” or secret police-call buttons should only be activated after the assailant has left. If the robbers feel they are about to get caught, they may become more dangerous and a hostage situation can occur.

“Keeping a gun in the store can be a deadly mistake,” he said. “The sight of a gun can make robbers jittery and cause them to be more reckless than they would have been.”

While Kennedy is a strong proponent of being ready for a robbery situation, he knows that the best way to avoid robberies and violence is through information and communication.

“If jewelers stay informed on how to be safe, remain aware of their surroundings and keep communication with authorities and family and friends about their whereabouts and schedules, they significantly cut their risks of being a victim,” he said.

Lowell Ahee, of R. Lowell Ahee Jewelers in Rochester, said he has been in the jewelry business his entire life, and, for the most part, he has always felt safe.

“Owning a jewelry store is more dangerous than a corner grocery, but I don’t think it needs to be considered a particularly dangerous profession,” according to Ahee.”

He believes that rise in crime against jewelers has less to do with lax security and more to do with a breakdown of societies moral values.

“If you look at it, all walks of life can be targets of violent crime,” Ahee said. “I have heard stories about individuals walking out of casinos smiling, and then getting attacked three miles down the road and robbed of their winnings. Everyone should make an effort to increase their personal safety.”

According to Rice, there is a fine line between making jewelers aware of the dangers of their industry and causing undue worry and stress.

“In my business I see claims all the time, so I know that bad things do happen to good people,” she said. “But at the same time, I don’t think that jewelers need to be on pins and needles all day either. Ideally, it is a matter of the more ready you are for an incident to occur, the less likely it is to happen.”

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