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GIA: Helping to Prevent Diamond and Gem Theft
Gemstones are rare and highly-coveted; this can sometimes result in theft and other crimes. More than $1.5 billion-worth of jewelry and precious metals were stolen in the US in 2010, with a recovery rate of only 4.2%. In order to better serve the public, law enforcement turned to GIA for assistance. GIA developed a seminar to better train them in successfully identifying stolen gems and jewelry.
GIA’s Carlsbad headquarters
One such seminar occurred at GIA’s Carlsbad headquarters earlier this year. Law enforcement officers from Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Africa, along with US officers representing 13 cities, met at GIA for the seminar. The course included learning about the GIA-created 4Cs of diamond quality, using tools such as loupes and microscopes, identifying colored gemstones in the field, breaking down stolen jewelry, and more.
The goals of the seminar were, first, to teach practical gemology for use in investigations and second, to educate law enforcement on the GIA resources that are available to them. For example, if a stolen gem was previously graded by GIA, it can be flagged in GIA’s database. The seminar also encouraged international cooperation as officers from across the globe shared their knowledge in topics such as gem mining and consumerism.
GIA has supported and educated law enforcement for decades. The current intensive program began as a partnership between GIA and the Major Theft Program at FBI Headquarters in 2007. The partnership between law enforcement and GIA has been rewarding and appropriate because both groups are dedicated to public service. “Our mission is to protect the public in gemstone and jewelry purchases,” said Donna Baker, president and CEO of GIA. “We’re pleased to have built a strong working relationship with law enforcement agencies around the world. By working together, we can help reduce gem-related crimes.”
This partnership may be helping the world with more than just gem-related crimes. FBI Agent Eric Ives, who manages the organized crime and major theft programs, states, “Jewelry theft is often a gateway crime. The illicit proceeds from the trafficking of stolen jewelry are sometimes used to fund other criminal activities.”
To learn more about GIA, visit www.gia.edu