Security for Jewelry Stores and Luxury Retail
Armed and plain clothes officers who deter smash and grab crews and protect staff during open hours.
Jewelry and luxury retail face fast, violent, coordinated crime. On August 12, 2023, more than 30 people rushed the Nordstrom at Westfield Topanga, sprayed the entrance guard with bear spray, and took over $300,000 in merchandise, according to LAPD. In January 2026, about eight masked suspects drove an SUV through the front of Classic Jewelers in Anaheim Hills and used hammers and crowbars on the cases, taking about $750,000 in jewelry.
These crews plan for speed: they count on unarmed staff stepping back and police arriving after they leave. Security here is about the first sixty seconds. Visible armed officers and controlled entry change the target calculation, and trained officers make sure staff are protected and the evidence is preserved for a prosecution.
What we protect against
- Smash and grab crews using hammers, axes, and crowbars on display cases
- Flash mob style rushes, such as the 2023 Westfield Topanga Nordstrom robbery
- Vehicle ramming through storefronts to gain entry
- Bear spray or pepper spray used on guards and staff
- Distraction theft and switch scams at the counter
- Follow home robberies of staff and customers after high value purchases
What we provide
- Armed entry post with door control and early recognition of group arrivals
- Plain clothes floor coverage during peak and holiday periods
- Opening, closing, and safe access procedures with staff
- Escort for staff and clients to vehicles after high value transactions
- Overnight patrol checks of glass lines, rear doors, and roll down gates
- Detailed incident reports and video preservation to support prosecution
- Staff briefings on what to do during a smash and grab
Rules and requirements
- Proposition 36, in effect since December 18, 2024, added Penal Code 12022.65, which adds one, two, or three years when a person acts together with two or more others to take, damage, or destroy property during a felony.
- Separately, Penal Code 490.8 (AB 3209, effective January 1, 2025) lets a court bar a person convicted of shoplifting, retail theft, or related offenses from entering the store for up to two years, including other locations of the same chain within a set area.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements for your license and location.
Example program with more than one officer
Example for a standalone jewelry store: one armed officer at the entry during all open hours controlling a buzz in door. A plain clothes off duty officer on the floor Friday through Sunday and during holiday weeks. Armed coverage for 30 minutes before open and after close while the safe is accessed. Overnight, two randomized mobile patrol checks of storefront glass and rear doors. Mall stores can drop the overnight patrol and keep the armed entry post.
Questions we get
Will an armed guard stop a smash and grab?
No guard guarantees that. What armed and visible officers do is change the target selection, speed up the call to police, protect staff, and capture what investigators need. Crews tend to choose stores that look unprotected.
Do you provide plain clothes officers?
Yes. Off duty and retired law enforcement officers can work plain clothes on the floor, which pairs well with a uniformed officer at the door.
Can you cover private appointments and events?
Yes. We cover trunk shows, private client appointments, and after hours viewings, including escort to and from vehicles.
Which officers fit
Most sites need one officer type. Larger sites and events sometimes use more than one.
Unarmed guards
Common
Fits as a greeter and door control role at lower value stores or inside malls with strong center security, paired with an armed post nearby.
Armed guards
Primary
Recommended for fine jewelry, watch, and high end handbag stores during open hours, and for opening, closing, and safe access when crews are most likely to strike.
Off duty police officers
Common
Fits flagship and high value locations, private client appointments, trunk shows, and stores recently hit, where judgment under pressure and experience with prosecutions matter most.
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Where we cover jewelry and luxury retail
Not sure what you need? Call or text (909) 927-7001 and talk to the owner directly, or send us a few details.