Criminals have struck again
Last month California jewelry artists lost their inventories in two separate thefts.. Deborah and Kevin Healy of Healy Designs had their jewelry stolen from their van when they stopped at a restaurant after a show. In a separate incident, Laurie Lehman of Floral Jewels lost her jewelry while she packed her car after a show. These are devastating losses, and it will take many months for the artists to create a new inventory base for their shows.
“We, jewelry artists, need to remember that traveling to shows is inherently dangerous. We must be very mindful as we move our work about.” -- Deborah and Kevin Healy
It can be very difficult to know if you have been targeted by criminals and, even if you suspect your business is being cased, professional thieves will strike when and where your artwork is most vulnerable. Your best response to potential theft is to take precautionary measures and to insure against loss in case your precautions fail.
Here are some quick measures to take to protect your artwork:
When on the road:
Never leave your artwork unattended. If your inventory is too large to keep with you at all times, shift coverage with a partner. If you're at an indoor show, use the convention center vault.
Be especially cautious during transitions -- arriving at or leaving a hotel, setting up or breaking down your booth, for instance. Call the police if you are being followed or have reason to believe your exhibit or hotel is being “cased.”
Keep your vehicle well maintained. Have a full tank of gas on the last day of the show so there will be one less stop as you travel from the show.
At shows:
Design your booth so that you will be able to see all areas of your display at all times. No blind spots.
If possible, at the busier shows have an assistant. This is one of the best theft prevention measures
Thieves often work in pairs. One distracting the artist/seller as the other takes merchandise. Do your best to be attentive to one customer at a time while being aware of others.
In your studio:
Consider having an alarm system installed in your studio if you don’t already have one. If you do have one, test and maintain the system regularly.
If your supplies, materials and artwork are of high value, keep them in a theft-proof safe.
Exterior lights and possibly an interior light on a timer are important crime deterrents
Find more theft protection tips and resources at the CERF+ Studio Protector website, including resources such as:
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company’s safety and security articles
Security and insurance ideas for shows and open studios from Harriete Estel Berman’s Artist Professional Guidelines
This article from CERF's Studio Protector Blog. Learn more about CERF here: http://craftemergency.org
Comments
If a show gives you a parking permit, make sure your booth number or any other identifying information is not on it, like your name or phone number. Thieves have been know to find your car hat way and put one of those GpS trackers on your car that Richard mentions above. Then they follow you until they havee the opportune moment to strike.
What sobering information. The public definitely have no idea of what's involved in "just doing art fairs."
These are not going to work if someone steals your trailer, vehicle, etc and you think this will help you locate it, as you need to have access to the unit to download the data. As per the website, "Simply turn on the unit, and place it where you would like. The unit will constantly record up to 120 hours of data. To retrieve the information, plug the unit into your computer via the included USB/charging cable. You can then download the information to a detailed printable report and view in Google Maps or Google Earth."
This is what you would need, and in addition to the cost of the unit, there is a $25/month subscription: http://www.spytecinc.com/gl-200-real-time-gps-tracker.html
Chris: "The public is never totally not present, even at indoor shows, and as they say, all it takes is one -- and the crims are going to make sure that they are, in fact, the last to leave, so then what...?"
The shows I do now, are art shows, within an area defined with barriers-- very easy to tell who is staff (badged, even if you don't "know" them), and there is uniformed event security at some of them; staff are there past artist pack out, because they still need to pack up various supplies and such, and break down the panels/lighting. AND... the area has motion sensor alarms during off hours....
Likewise, I know the staff at a couple of other shows I used to do-- again, in a defined area, within fencing, so after "the public" is shooed out, there's only staff and vendors, and somebody at the gate to control entry; the staff will "sit" with your stuff until you can get your vehicle.
And like I said-- I've never had anything "evaporate" from those shows.
This to Kaytee: regarding... "the event staff is still present, but the "public" has departed"... The public is never totally not present, even at indoor shows, and as they say, all it takes is one -- and the crims are going to make sure that they are, in fact, the last to leave, so then what...?
... and to Bobby: regarding... "Anyone ever put up a security camera?"... assume that this is feasible for you, what about after the show during breakdown, when all your stuff is conveniently packed down into transportable containers, ready for easy movement, what then...?
I don't want to appear as a Negative Nelly, but these are real vulnerabilities of ours and we need to be mindful and diligent about them. We need to employ whatever tactics are available at the time to protect our selves and our goods.
--Chris
Anyone ever put up a security camera?
I've seen booths with those "youre on camera" notices before but I wondered if they were just a gimmick...
It is also important to pass the word about shoplifters to management and other artists in a show. AT Manitou Springs, CO, the show management did not want to "tarnish their image" by telling other artists about a theft. We did by word of mouth. Management told me to go file a police report - yea, I should take off 2 hours during a show to do this. At Jackson Hole last year, Jean caught a gal slipping a copy of my book in her bag. Management went after her and caught her.
Chris-- most shows I've been part of, have had a "booth shutdown/end of sales time" AND a clean up time during which the event staff is still present, but the "public" has departed. I've never lost anything at these shows.
The only times I've had inventory "evaporate", is when it was on consignment, and at a gallery show, when I was not present. I'm pretty sure some of the consignment items missing were due to errors on the part of sales staff, either in not writing down the right "consignment info", or neglecting to write down anything when they processed the sale (this was at a museum shop-- handwritten triplicate receipts for consignment items-- and one of the volunteers generally couldn't be bothered to fill them out).
I guess I've been lucky... only thing I know of being lifted from my booth was a sample of one of our hand-painted toddler t-shirts while at a wholesale show. It was taken overnight when the only people in the building were... let's see.. the security! They got their just deserts, though as the unit was not heat-set yet and will have bled all over the wash load! :-)
But here's my real post... I do wish show promoters would be aware of, and care about, this vulnerability of ours when they require us to pack up, pile all our stuff on the sidewalk, and leave for 20 minutes or more to go get the vehicle. I admit, I don't know how to avoid this when we are working the show alone -- a person is going to leave at some point, either before packing or after, and providing one-on-one booth sitter security is not feasible. About the only thing I know of is to hope your neighbor is a slow-poke so you can ask them to keep an eye out, but then who's going to look out for them...? Any ideas?
--Chris
Here is a great stolen jewelry story that you will want to read. I know they don't all turn out this great. This was posted 2 years ago:
http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/cops-and-robbers-and-...
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next