Travelers Security Checklist

FOR THE INFORMATION OF JEWELLERY WHOLESALE TRAVELLERS

Compiled by Robert Hennig

Australian Corporate Security & Investigation Services
Primary and Secondary Protection of Jeweller’s Stock Bags:

On the road wholesalers should take note of the following security issues in the protection of stock when away from the office.

Index

A. Primary Protection Requirements

B. Secondary Protection of Bags

C. Traveller's Checklist

 

A. Primary Protection Requirements

  1. Attending Appointments:
    Wholesalers/travellers are advised when attending jeweller or client appointments they are to travel direct to the appointment and not frequent the immediate area prior to the appointment –frequenting areas around jewellers to be attended allows crime gangs to plan and prepare for distraction offences either prior to entry or upon leaving.

    Solution: Travel direct to an appointment and leave the immediate area once ensuring no-one is following:- then the traveller may be able to stop and have something to eat etc. The vast majority of distraction/bag theft offences occur in and around the jeweller entities the traveller is visiting.
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  2. Using Lifts :
    When travelling in lifts where it appears potential suspicious persons only may be entering the lift with you, change your plans and wait for the next lift or walk away –Armed robberies and bag snatches have occurred in lifts where the only occupants have been the traveller and the offender, whereby on those previous occasions travellers have been initially suspicious of the persons that they have been entering the lift with.

    Solution: If suspicious of persons, do not enter a lift with them.
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  3. Use of Vehicles:
    Motor vehicles are regularly used as a means of travel and assist anonymity of the traveller especially compared with travel on public transport. Vehicles used should have immobilizers to protect from theft and should have some anchoring or protective facility for traveller’s bags, preferably in the boot:- Of recent times there has been common occurrences especially in New South Wales, for offenders to target bag thefts by opening passenger doors at a stop sign or traffic/pedestrian lights:- Bags should therefore be anchored when travelling and preferably be out of site –obviously personalised central locking helps to protect travellers from offenders using this tactic i.e. only allowing the driver’s door to be opened in the first instance via remote. Travellers are also to ensure that they engage anti surveillance procedures inclusive of using roundabouts to identify who may be following and then take an alternative route.

    Solution: Keep car doors locked when travelling and be aware of your surroundings.
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  4. Flat Tyres:
    Many wholesalers who have had a flat tyre, have ended up victims of bag thefts while changing the tyre. These instances invariably occur between 500 metres and one kilometre from the last business attendance of the traveller –for some inexplicable reason many victims have left their stock bags in the back seat while changing a tyre –obviously professional thieves can easily unlock a car door on the driver’s side and steal stock bags as the tyre is being changed. In Australia the tyre that is generally found to be flat (with respect to professional thieves) is the back left hand tyre which is on the blind side of the vehicle. Travellers should therefore when changing a tyre secure their bags in the boot or if believing they are still being followed or under threat, drive to the nearest public area on the flat tyre i.e. attend a service station, park outside a Police Station, etc. where people are around –never change a tyre without assistance in a remote area and make use of mobile facilities to notify appropriate persons.

    Solution: Do not change a car tyre on your own.
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  5. Use of Mobile Phone:
    Every traveller must have mobile phone communications. If a problem situation or potential problem situation arises, they are then able to call Authorities/Police/other persons to obtain immediate assistance –this includes situations where a traveller believes he is being followed:- Notifying Police will or should gain immediate assistance in apprehending or identifying the potential offenders. Mobile phones can also be used to call persons at the last place of business attendance if still in the immediate area to obtain their assistance especially in the case of flat tyres pending the arrival of roadside services/Police.

    Solution: Contact police immediately if being followed.
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  6. Accommodation:
    It is a well known ploy of professional crime gangs to frequent hotel lobbies where travellers are staying –they will engage various tactics to distract the traveller whilst waiting in the foyer or checking in –bags should therefore be in front of the traveller and in direct control i.e. in physical possession at all times. Safe facilities if available must be utilised at the hotel. If there are no facilities the room in which the traveller is staying, bags must not be left unattended as there have also been instances of offenders breaking into hotel rooms when a traveller has gone to get something to eat or has left the room –use room service.

    Solution: Keep bags in direct control or use safes.
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  7. Selling/Viewing of Stock:
    Ensure that your clients are well aware of security concerns you have in respect to discretion in allowing secure viewing of stock –resist displaying stock from bags over the counter and request a private viewing area out of site from the public –too often criminals are able to identify the difference between high value stock more highly desirable to steal than low value stock purely by seeing what is being carried by the traveller as displayed on a retail counter –keep them guessing as to what you have got.

    Solution: Do not display stock on the counter.
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  8. Plane Travel:
    Ensure that travellers are accompanied to Airports when carrying high value stock –so many distraction theft offences have occurred in and around Airports. Travellers should whilst in transit have the bag in full view or possession at all times and in a plane have the bag under direct supervision or under the supervision of the purser. When the traveller reaches the nominated destination he should ensure that others are awaiting at the Airport –again direct point to point travel is required to a customer as surveillance by criminals can regularly occur to and from Airport:- By engaging safe travel procedures you will be more easily able to determine whether you are being followed and take appropriate steps to minimise exposure.

    Solution: Ensure bags are under direct supervision and control on planes and pick up/drop offs are arranged.
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  9. Use of Security Couriers:
    When using security couriers to transport high value of stock either interstate or overseas, ensure the name of the courier/guard is obtained on pick up and identify the transport procedure to check on progress –contact supervisors of the guard or courier to ensure your stock is correctly and securely being transported and obtain ETA to notify the required clients at the other end:- By showing interest and requiring details security couriers/firms will invariably increase their interest/accountability in the protection of your stock.

    Solution: Have ongoing contact with courier supervisors.
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  10. Type of Bags Used
    Stock bags should always be non descript and such bags also should not attract unusual attention purely on the overt type of security afforded. External non-descript shoulder carry bags can be used to cover the security features of a more resilient metal casing style of briefcase with appropriate locking facilities. If this type of transport system is used, the primary stock bag must be secured to the external bag:-

    Crime gangs and the general public have various perceptions of what appears of value or that there is value contained therein –especially when they see a high security type of briefcase. This heightens unwanted interest in what you are carrying –therefore be as discreet as possible and keep stock limits to a minimum each trip.

    Solution: Be discreet and have secondary protection.
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B. Secondary Protection of Bags

  1. Wrist Straps : Travellers when on foot should consider using some form of secondary strapping protection in the way of wrist straps similar to those used by surfers for their surfboards:- Any attempted snatch grab would then require more than one simple snatching movement and will deter many of these types of thieves.
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  2. Covering Bags: If a covering hand strap or shoulder bag is used when transporting the primary stock bag therein, a strap or chaining security feature should be engaged –if an offender again attempts to snatch grab leverage can be used via the secondary bag to wrench the bag back into possession without the primary bag being stolen.
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  3. Satellite Tracking: Satellite tracking is now a viable form of security in tracking the location of traveller’s bags –such units can be hidden inside stock bags and not be initially detected –if the bag is stolen either through an armed robbery or distraction/snatch grab situation, Police have at least generally one hour or so on contacting the monitoring/tracking service to provide an opportunity or “window”to locate and apprehend the offenders/bag and recover the stock –it also allows the company owning the stock to ensure the traveller and stock can be located at any given time both for the protection of stock and the traveller.
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  4. Anti Snatch Grab –Electronic Devices: There are various applications of electrical charging devices that can be used to prevent bags from being stolen. Such devices with the use of standard batteries can emit a small “charge” if the bag is picked up/grabbed in the wrong way or the combination is tampered with:- Whilst there may be arguably some liability contention as to injury using such devices, if there is a user friendly installation application a traveller will not be exposed to electrical shock but any persons snatching the bag will be –this will afford potential to retrieve the bag after being dropped by the offender when such a charge has been emitted:- Snatch grab and distraction offenders only therefore have one opportunity of surprise which they use as their main weapon:

    At this point we are not aware of any recent offences where offenders after dropping bags have stopped and then tried to retake possession –such attacks regularly occur in public areas where offenders cannot afford to have a second “go”.

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C. Traveller's Checklist

  1. PRIMARY PROTECTION:  

    • Attending and leaving appointments –travel direct to and from appointments –do not loiter or frequent around client premises.

    • Using lifts –use lifts either alone, with friends or obvious members of the public –do not enter a lift with suspicious persons.

    • Use of vehicles –carry a mobile phone –conduct anti-surveillance procedures if suspicious –do not use vehicles that are unreliable or those which do not have immobilizers –engage anti-surveillance procedures if being followed.

    • Flat tyres –change flat tyres only in the company of other persons –secure stock in boot –do not leave stock locked in the cabin of the vehicle if you have to change a tyre –never change a tyre alone especially rear left hand/passenger side tyres.

    • Use of mobile phones –ensure you have communication facilities –contact police or appropriate persons if you feel you are threatened or being followed.

    • Accommodation –always secure stock at places of accommodation and always have stock under continuing supervision –do not leave bags unattended or out of actual possession in foyers, reception counters or rooms.

    • Selling of stock –always request private viewing areas –do not display stock on counters in public view.

    • Plane travel –encourage escorts to and from destinations –do not leave bags out of actual possession at check-in or on the flight.

    • Use of couriers/guards –identify names and procedures –do not allow conveyance until route and accountability known.

    • Type of bags –use non-descript bags which have secondary protection –do not use obvious bags/suitcases that attract attention.

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  2. SECONDARY PROTECTION:

    • Wrist straps –consider the use of wrist straps or similar type of strapping which requires breaking free of the bag from the hands and then the wrist.

    • Shoulder straps –use a covering non-descript bag with a shoulder strap and anchoring facility for the primary bag contained therein –have access to both the primary bag handles and the secondary bag handles.

    • Tracking –install a satellite tracking facility in the primary stock bag.

    • Electronic devices –consider the installation of electronic devices which emit a small electrical charge to ensure that if the bag is snatched the electrical current emitted will cause the bag to be dropped by offenders.
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