Be Safe
You are basically safe in Tucson, as
you are at any show, according to
John Kennedy, president of Jewelers’
Security Alliance. But anyone can be
a target of a crime, because criminals
don’t know who is carrying valuable
product and who isn’t, he says.
“When you’re in town, don’t iden-
tify yourself as a jeweler,” he says.
“You want to look like any other
tourist.” In essence, this means, don’t
carry merchandise in any of those
cool, give-away totes, which reveal
where you have been shopping.
Don’t wear expensive jewelry. And
once you leave a venue, hide or re-
move that Buyer’s ID tag you forgot
you were wearing around your neck.
That’s a dead giveaway that you
could be carrying valuables.Here are some other tips: If you
are buying large quantities, ask
the vendor to ship these items for
you. But make sure their packaging
doesn’t “scream jewelry,” Kennedy
says. Instead of using their company
name on the return address, which
might identify the package contents,
the vendor should use initials. And
given that jewelry and gems are
usually small in nature, they should
be double packed inside a large box,
not shipped in a small one.
Be wary of hotel safes, Kennedy
adds. If a criminal has targeted you,
he or she can get in to your hotel
room and take the whole safe. And
if fl ying home, put your stash in your
carryon luggage, not your checked
bags. For more, go to https://www.
jewelers.org/ja/careers-education/A jewelry instructor identifies her classroom tools by painting them vivid colors.
A chunk of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada amethyst traveled more than 2,000 miles to
reach Tucson.business-tips/77-security-tips-for-
jewelry-trade-shows.
For other common-sense ideas,
Tucson Police Offi cer Francisco
Magos advises you to be aware of
your surroundings. Do your research
before you go out to a venue, so
you know where you are headed, he
says. (I used a Garmin GPS system
for navigation.) And call 9-1-1 on
your cellphone or fl ag down an of-
fi cer if you have an emergency.
Another reason to feel safe in
Tucson is that there are lots of armed,
uniformed, and plain-clothed law
enforcement offi cers around, many of
whom are hired to provide extra se-
curity. There are also lots of security
cameras and wary vendors with eyes
in the backs of their heads, because
they are responsible for million-dollar
stashes.
But once you are out in the parking
lot, you are vulnerable. According
to the Tucson Police Department’s
crime mapping site at https://www.
tucsonaz.gov/police/statistics, 220
incidents of theft from vehicles were
reported between January 30 and
February 17, during the 2019 shows.
However, these break-ins occurred
over a wide area of the city, not just
near venues, and this fi gure is small
compared to the number of buy-
ers who visit. In the off -season, this
statistic drops to around 130 for a
comparable period of time. So, it is
a good idea to make sure nothing is
visible inside your car when you park.
Buyer Beware
Know your gems. A Kowloon, Hong
Kong, company advertised heart-
shaped mabe pearls at the Gem
Mall. At their booth, I asked what
the minimum was. $200, the sales-
woman replied. Happy to score
them, I bought 10 without thinking.
Took them home to Michigan. Inten-
tionally broke one with a hammer
only to discover it was mostly plas-
tic. Think I can ask for any money
back now? Guess again. Diff erent
time zone a world away. Diff erent
language. Diff erent culture.Ice Resin developer Susan Lenart Kazmer begins a class at the Colors of Stone venue.Dave Otteson holds some of his Nevada turquoise in his hand at the 22nd Street
Mineral, Fossil, Gem and Jewelry Show.NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 41